Глава 14

Os.14:1. Samaria will perish daring to act contrary to God's will. It will be exhausted by war, and its inhabitants will see infants smashed to the ground, and those carried in their wombs killed along with the fruit of their womb. But in order not to experience this in reality, Os.14:2. Israel shall turn to the Lord thy God; because you spent a lot of time in lawlessness. Then the Prophet teaches them what words should be spoken by those who propitiate God. For he says: Hos.14:3. Say: You can turn away all sin. For by offering this prayer to God, you will not receive retribution for unrighteousness, but will enjoy all the benefits. When you implore the Savior and Benefactor, add to these words the following: we will no longer place our trust in any of the people, neither in the Assyrians, nor in the Egyptians, nor in many horses, and we will not recognize man-made idols as gods. As soon as you say it; The Lord, who is always with you, will have mercy on the orphan, that is, you, like an orphan left without supervision or care, will be worthy of all providence. And I will give you healing, says God, delivering you from the evils that surround you, I will sincerely love you, I will put an end to all punishment imposed on you; I will give you My gifts like dew, so that you may flourish like a tree. For he expressed this by saying: Hos.14:6. I will be like dew to Israel, and I will flourish like krin. Divine Scripture repeatedly mentions this color; So Isaiah cries: “let the desert be glad, and let it blossom like a tree” (Is. 35:1). And in the Song of Songs the groom says about the bride: “Like a horse among thorns, so is my sister among her daughters” (Song. 2:2). And the Lord in the Holy Gospel said: “Behold the crown of the villages, Amen I say unto you, for Solomon is clothed with all his glory, for he is one of these” (Matthew 6:28–29). From all this we learn that in this color, in addition to its fragrance, its whiteness is praised. A soul is compared with it, cleansed from sinful filth and clothed in the bright robe of baptism, about which Isaiah cries: “let my soul rejoice in the Lord: for he has clothed me with the robe of salvation and the robe of gladness” (Is. 61:10). Like this krin, says the Prophet, Israel, who knows God, will prosper. And she will spread her reproach like Lebanon. This means a mountain topped with cedars. Then he makes it possible to see the future number of people. Hos.14:7. Its branches will go. It also foretells the fruit of piety. And he will be like the fruitful olive tree, and his sense of smell will be like Lebanon. It also indicates the reason for the good. Hos.14:8. They will turn and sit under His roof, that is, under the roof of God, and they will live and be strengthened by wheat, and their memory will flourish like grapes, like the wine of Lebanon. For, having renounced idolatry and placed their trust in My care, they will receive all kinds of blessings in abundance, and like the fragrant wine produced in Lebanon, they will be fragrant with virtue, and thereby gain a good reputation for themselves. Hos.14:9. What is Efremov and his idol? Therefore, having found out what the acquisition of piety is, flee, Ephraim, from the deception of idols. To this end, admonishing you, I humbled you, and guided by love for mankind, I will make you strong, and I will be for you and you will reap fruits from Me. For “tornadoes” 5 are a plant that is always green, does not rot, and is covered with thorny needles. And with this God expresses the following: having vouchsafed you with every kind of providence for you, I will keep you unharmed, as if with some needles, wounding those who attack you. Thus ending the entire prophecy, the Prophet added a conclusion useful for all readers: Os.14:10. Who is wise and understands this, and understands this message? For the ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous will walk in them: but the wicked will fail in them. This is how the divine David concluded his song, counting God’s blessings in the one hundred and sixth psalm: “Who is wise and will preserve this? and they will understand the mercies of the Lord" (Ps. 106:43)? For wisdom and prudence are truly needed, both for the knowledge and understanding of the words of God, and for their fulfillment and observance. It is neither possible for those who have not received illumination from the Spirit of God to understand them, nor for those who do not benefit from help from above to preserve them. Those who show great and to a great extent love for God and use His help follow the right paths and are called righteous; and those who live in wickedness and follow the opposite path will receive retribution for their wickedness. May the God of all, “who desires for all men to be saved and to come into the understanding of truth” (1 Tim. 2:4), grant us to belong to the part of the pious, and not the wicked, so that, living according to His divine laws, we may glorify Him, according to the word of the holy Apostle, both in body and spirit (1 Cor. 6:20). For to Him is due all glory, honor and worship, with His only begotten Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.