Hosea 14:2
Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
Study Note
Study Note
God's invitation 'take with you words and return to the Lord' is one of the Hebrew Bible's most striking replacements of sacrificial ritual with spoken words as the medium of covenant restoration. The phrase 'render the calves of our lips' (nishalmah parim sefatenu) substitutes verbal praise for animal sacrifice, a substitution that anticipates the post-Temple traditions of Jewish liturgy and Paul's presentation of 'spiritual worship' (Romans 12:1) and 'sacrifice of praise' (Hebrews 13:15 explicitly quotes this verse). The specific confession proposed — 'take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously' — is a model penitential prayer that has influenced Jewish High Holiday liturgy and the structure of Christian confessional prayers. The verse demonstrates that prophetic spirituality was always capable of locating the heart of covenant relationship in speech and intention rather than exclusively in ritual performance.
Other Translations
Take with you words, and return unto Jehovah: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and accept that which is good: so will we render as bullocks the offering of our lips.
Take with you words, and turn to Jehovah, Say ye unto Him: `Take away all iniquity, and give good, And we do render the fruit of our lips.
Take with you words, and come back to the Lord; say to him, Let there be forgiveness for all wrongdoing, so that we may take what is good, and give in payment the fruit of our lips.
Cross References
And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken …
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth …
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable …
And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and …
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father …
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and …
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips …
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.