Hosea 14:9 (DRB)

Passage

Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I will hear him, and I will make him flourish like a green fir tree: from me is thy fruit found.

Nearby Context

Hosea 14:7 His branches shall spread, and his glory shall be as the olive tree: and his smell as that of Libanus.

Hosea 14:8 They shall be converted that sit under his shadow: they shall live upon wheat, and they shall blossom as a vine: his memorial shall be as the wine of Libanus.

Hosea 14:9 Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I will hear him, and I will make him flourish like a green fir tree: from me is thy fruit found.

Hosea 14:10 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know these things? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall in them.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "ephraim", "shall", "idols", "hear", "make", "flourish", "like", and "green". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "ephraim" and "shall", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "They shall be converted that sit under..." into verse 10's "Who is wise and he shall understand...", so "ephraim" and "shall" belong inside that flow. In Hosea context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "ephraim" and "shall" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.