Hosea 14:6 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Bible Comments

His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

His branches shall spread - shoots, or suckers.

And his beauty shall be as the olive - which never loses its verdure. One plant is not enough to express the varied graces of God's elect people. The lily depicts its lovely growth; but as it wants duration and firmness, the deeply-rooted cedars of Lebanon are added; these, however, are fruitless, therefore the fruitful, peace-bearing, fragrant, evergreen olive is added.

And his smell as Lebanon - which exhaled from it the fragrance of odoriferous trees and flowers. 'As you enter the valley (between Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon) straightway the scent meets you' (Theophrastus' 'History of Plants,' 10: 7, in Pusey). So Israel's name shall be in good savour with all (Genesis 27:27, Isaac "smelled the smell of his (Jacob's) raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed" (Song of Solomon 4:11).

Hosea 14:6

6 His branches shall spread,c and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.