en_tn_condensed/hos/14/intro.md

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Hosea 14 General Notes

Structure and formatting

This last chapter of Hosea ends with hope. In this chapter, Hosea calls for Israel to confess to Yahweh and repent. This chapter continues to be written in poetic form, using metaphors and other devices to communicate God's love for his sinful people. (See: rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/confess, rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/repent, rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/love, rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/sin, rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/peopleofgod and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

Why are confession and repentance even suggested here for a people that Yahweh has already condemned to be destroyed? It is because this is a teaching that Yahweh is a merciful God who loves his people. (See: rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/mercy)

Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter

Speaker

The use of first and second person in this chapter often signifies a change in speaker. In this chapter, Hosea is speaking to the northern kingdom to tell them that Yahweh loves them. There are several places in this chapter where the writer switches from the third person to the second or the first person. This may cause some confusion about who is speaking.