What words accompany Israel’s return and renewed growth?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

A violent prophecy leads into prescribed confession, free love and botanical restoration.

Chapter breakdown

Samaria's provocation is followed by a prophecy of sword-death, dashed little ones and violence against pregnant women. The edition expressly distinguishes it from a curse or imprecation. Fallen Israel is called to return to its God because of iniquity. It is to bring words asking that all iniquity be taken away and good received, promising the calves of its lips. The proposed confession says Assyria cannot save, they will not ride horses or call handmade things gods, and God has mercy on the fatherless in him.

God promises to heal breaches and love freely because wrath has turned away. Like dew to Israel, he brings lily-like growth, roots as Libanus, spreading branches, olive-tree glory and Libanus's fragrance. Those under the shadow will convert, live on wheat and blossom like a vine, with a memorial like Libanus's wine. Ephraim asks what more he has to do with idols; God hears and makes him flourish like a green fir, with fruit found from him. Wisdom and prudence are invited to understand: God's ways are right, the just walk them and transgressors fall in them. The botanical images are not stated medical or material guarantees, and the chapter does not abolish animal sacrifice or prescribe individual confession's formal procedure.

The story inside

The edition distinguishes Samaria’s warning from a curse. The confession rejects Assyria, horses and handmade gods. The wisdom ending distinguishes just walkers from falling transgressors.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The edition distinguishes Samaria’s warning from a curse.
2
The confession rejects Assyria, horses and handmade gods.
3
The wisdom ending distinguishes just walkers from falling transgressors.

Test your recall

Which plant images describe the promised restoration?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 100061–100066
14:1. Let Samaria perish, because she hath stirred up her God to bitterness: let them perish by the sword, let their little ones be dashed, and let the women with child be ripped up. Perish, because she hath stirred up her God to bitterness.... It is not a curse or imprecation, but a prophecy of what should come to pass.
Lines 100068–100077
14:2. Return, O Israel, to the Lord thy God: for thou hast fallen down by thy iniquity. 14:3. Take with you words, and return to the Lord, and say to him: Take away all iniquity, and receive the good: and we will render the calves of our lips. 14:4. Assyria shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses, neither will we say any more: The works of our hands are our gods: for thou wilt have mercy on the fatherless that is in thee.
Lines 100079–100094
14:5. I will heal their breaches, I will love them freely: for my wrath is turned away from them. 14:6. I will be as the dew, Israel shall spring as the lily, and his root shall shoot forth as that of Libanus. 14:7. His branches shall spread, and his glory shall be as the olive tree: and his smell as that of Libanus. 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. 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.