The Meaning of Hosea 14:7 Explained

Hosea 14:7

KJV: They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

YLT: Return do the dwellers under his shadow, They revive as corn, and flourish as a vine, His memorial is as wine of Lebanon.

Darby: They shall return and sit under his shadow; they shall revive as corn, and blossom as the vine: the renown thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

ASV: They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the grain, and blossom as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They that dwell  under his shadow  shall return;  they shall revive  [as] the corn,  and grow  as the vine:  the scent  thereof [shall be] as the wine  of Lebanon. 

What does Hosea 14:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Other nations would also flourish as they benefited from Israel"s good influence. The Israelites would again grow grain, a mark of covenant blessing (cf. Hosea 2:21-23; Deuteronomy 28:4; Deuteronomy 28:8; Deuteronomy 28:11; Deuteronomy 30:9; Amos 9:13-15). The nation would be like a fruitful vine that produced the best wine, no longer like a scraggly vine in the wilderness ( Hosea 10:1).

Context Summary

Hosea 14:1-9 - "i Will Heal Their Backsliding"
The prophet here ransacks the world of nature for phrases sufficiently expressive of his transports of joy. The whole world seems laid under contribution to set forth the love of God. The gentle dew, the rich raiment of the lily, the far-reaching spurs and roots of the Lebanon range, the spreading branches of the olive, the fragrant breath of the wind which is laden with the perfume of the land, the golden corn ripe for the sickle, the scent of the vines-these are the images with which the inspired imagination of the prophet teems.
But how deeply the chapter appeals to us! The very words that returning prodigals would adopt are set down. As we return, we hear the divine voice assuring us that our backslidings shall be healed, that there is no anger and only love, and that God Himself shall be the sap of our fruit-bearing life. Our Father wants it to be clearly understood that these promises do not belong to Israel only but to all who will accept them. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 14

1  An exhortation to repentance
4  A promise of God's blessing

What do the individual words in Hosea 14:7 mean?

Shall return Those who dwell under his shadow they shall be revived [like] grain and grow like a vine Their scent [shall be] like the wine of Lebanon -
יָשֻׁ֙בוּ֙ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י בְצִלּ֔וֹ יְחַיּ֥וּ דָגָ֖ן וְיִפְרְח֣וּ כַגָּ֑פֶן זִכְר֖וֹ כְּיֵ֥ין לְבָנֽוֹן ס

יָשֻׁ֙בוּ֙  Shall  return 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
יֹשְׁבֵ֣י  Those  who  dwell 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
בְצִלּ֔וֹ  under  his  shadow 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: צֵל  
Sense: shadow, shade.
יְחַיּ֥וּ  they  shall  be  revived 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
דָגָ֖ן  [like]  grain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּגָן  
Sense: wheat, cereal, grain, corn.
וְיִפְרְח֣וּ  and  grow 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: פָּרַח 
Sense: to bud, sprout, shoot, bloom.
כַגָּ֑פֶן  like  a  vine 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: גֶּפֶן  
Sense: vine, vine tree.
זִכְר֖וֹ  Their  scent  [shall  be] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: זֵכֶר 
Sense: memorial, remembrance.
כְּיֵ֥ין  like  the  wine 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יַיִן  
Sense: wine.
לְבָנֽוֹן  of  Lebanon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: לְבָנׄון  
Sense: a wooded mountain range on the northern border of Israel.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation