Attributed commentary excerpt
Barnes' Notes on Hosea 14:2
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Notes on the Whole Bible
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · 19th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
Take with you words - He bills them not bring costly offerings, that they might regain His favor; not whole burnt-offerings of bullocks, goats or rams; with which, and with which alone, they had before gone to seek Him (see the note above at Hosea 5:6); not the silver and gold which they had lavished on their idols; but what seems the cheapest of all, which any may have, without cost to their substance; “words;” worthless, as mere words; precious when from the heart; words of confession and prayer, blending humility, repentance, confession, entreaty and praise of God. God seems to assign to them a form, with which they should approach Him. But with these words, they were also to turn inwardly “and turn unto the Lord,” with your whole heart, and not your lips alone. “After ye shall be converted, confess before Him.” Take away all iniquity - (Literally and pleadingly, “Thou will take away all iniquity”.) They had “fallen by their iniquities;” before they can rise again, the stumbling-blocks must be taken out of their way. They then, unable themselves to do it, must turn to God, with whom alone is power and mercy to do it, and say to Him, “Take away all iniquity,” acknowledging that they had manifold iniquities, and praying Him to forgive all, “take away all. All iniquities!” “not only then the past, but what we tear for the future. Cleanse us from the past, keep us from the future. Give us righteousness, and preserve it to the end.” And receive us graciously - (Literally, “and receive good” ). When God has forgiven and taken away iniquity, He has removed all hindrance to the influx of His grace. There is no vacuum in His spiritual, anymore than in His natural, creation. When God’s good Spirit is chased away, the evil spirits enter the house, which is “empty, swept, and garnished” Matthew 12:44, for them. When God has forgiven and taken away man’s evil, He pours into him grace and all good. When then Israel and, in him, the penitent soul, is taught to say, “receive good,” it can mean only, the good which Thou Thyself hast given; as David says, “of Thine own we have given Thee” 1 Chronicles 29:14. As God is said to “crown in us His own gifts;” (“His own gifts,” but “in us” ;) so these pray to God to receive from them His own good, which they had from Him. For even the good, which God giveth to be in us, He accepteth in condescension and forgiving mercy, “Who crowneth thee in mercy and lovingkindness” Psalms 103:4. They pray God to accept their service, forgiving their imperfection, and mercifully considering their frailty. For since “our righteousnesses are filthy rags,” we ought ever humbly to entreat God, not to despise our dutifulness, for the imperfections, wanderings, and negligences mingled therewith. For exceedingly imperfect is it, especially if we consider the majesty of the Divine Nature, which should be served, were it possible, with infinite reverence.” They plead to God, then, to accept what, although from Him they have it, yet through their imperfection, were, but for His goodness, unworthy of His acceptance. Still, since the glory of God is the end of all creation, by asking Him to accept it, they plead to Him, that this is the end for which He made and remade them, and placed the good in them, that it might redound to His glory. As, on the other hand, the Psalmist says, “What profit is there in my blood, if I go down into the pit” Psalms 30:9, as though his own perishing were a loss to God, his Creator, since thus there w…
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