An Explanation of the Haftarah for Shabbat Shuva
This Haftarah is read on the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, because it speaks of repentance, and this is relevant to the day, as it is the time of repentance.
An Explanation of the Haftarah for Shabbat Shuva
3 Tishrei 5787 | Sept. 14 2026

The Connection Between the Haftarah and the Parsha
This Haftarah is read on the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, because it speaks of repentance, and this is relevant to the day, as it is the time of repentance.
Content of the Haftarah
The prophet turns to Israel, asking that they return to Hashem, for the troubles that came upon them were because of their sins. The Creator of the world, in His loving-kindness, does not request of them that they offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Him, but only words, asking of them "confession of words," which is a substitute for sacrifices.
He also asks of them that they take upon themselves not to turn to Assyria or Egypt to receive their help, but rather trust in Hashem, May His Name Be Blessed. When they return in true repentance, the Creator of the world will forgive their sins; His love for them will be continual and never cease, and it will be like dew that never stops forever.
The nation of Israel will take root in their land, their good name will be heard in distant places, and they will dwell in the shadow of the Holy One, Blessed be He. When Ephraim says, "What more have I to do with idols?", then Hashem will support him and strengthen him.
And the prophet says: Whoever is wise will contemplate these matters and reach the conclusion that the ways of Hashem are straight, and then Hashem will subdue their sins, erase them completely as if they were cast into the depths of the sea, and fulfill the promise to Yaakov that Hashem promised to Avraham.
Hoshea Chapter 14 Verse 2 - 10. Mikha Chapter 7 Verse 18 - 20.
2 Hoshea says to the holy ones of Israel RETURN [a] ISRAEL [b] return in repentance UNTO HASHEM YOUR L-RD FOR you see that YOU HAVE STUMBLED [c] obstacles and troubles came upon you because of your sins (Rashi) and furthermore you did not sin rebelliously, but you stumbled through those who caused you to stumble and you were inadvertent and compelled and you have a remedy through repentance (Malbim): 3 When you return I do not want from you silver or gold or burnt-offerings, but rather TAKE WITH YOU WORDS [d] that you shall confess your sins AND RETURN TO HASHEM; SAY UNTO HIM [in prayer] in supplication TAKE AWAY ALL INIQUITY please forgive our iniquities AND ACCEPT GOOD in their place [e] the good deeds that we performed (Radak) SO WILL WE RENDER AS BULLOCKS that we were supposed to offer before You we shall pay them through verbal confession (Rashi) and some say the confession of our lips shall be acceptable before You like a bullock upon the altar (Targum Yonatan): 4 Furthermore they shall confess before Him, and say: ASSYRIA which we trusted in until now, we knew that SHALL NOT SAVE US for it has no power to save us for to Hashem is the salvation (Radak) AND UPON HORSES coming from Egypt WE WILL NOT RIDE that is to say we will not trust in the strength of the horses of Egypt NEITHER WILL WE SAY ANY MORE these are our gods TO THE WORK OF OUR HANDS to the idol that we made with our hands, but rather only in You shall we trust FOR IN YOU alone THE ORPHAN FINDS MERCY [that You have mercy on the orphans] (Rashi): 5 When they do so and return in repentance I WILL HEAL THEIR BACKSLIDING I will bring healing and cure and I will forgive their backsliding and their rebellion that they rebelled against Me until now I WILL LOVE THEM FREELY an affection of a good heart FOR MY ANGER IS TURNED AWAY FROM HIM and I have no anger against them, for they returned in repentance (Radak): 6 My love shall be AS THE DEW UNTO ISRAEL like dew which does not cease forever, the people of Israel HE SHALL BLOSSOM shall produce flowers beautiful and pleasant AS THE ROSE whose flowering is beautiful AND CAST FORTH shall take root and spread HIS ROOTS AS LEBANON like the roots of the trees of Lebanon (M"D):
7 SHALL GO shall spread far HIS BRANCHES [f] its tender branches (Radak) that is to say his children shall multiply (Targum Yonatan) AND HIS BEAUTY SHALL BE AS THE OLIVE TREE like an olive tree whose leaves are fresh all year round and beautiful, meaning to say that his goodness shall not cease all the days AND HIS FRAGRANCE SHALL BE and its scent shall be wafted AS LEBANON [g] like the scent of the trees and the herbs that are in Lebanon, that is to say that their good name shall go far (Radak): 8 Those who RETURN to their land shall be THEY THAT DWELL UNDER HIS SHADOW of the Almighty Blessed Be He THEY SHALL REVIVE themselves at all times with the commandments of the Almighty Blessed Be He and shall be AS THE CORN [h] which sustains creatures AND THEY SHALL BLOSSOM and spread AS THE VINE that even after they harvest its fruit it does not cease and dry up but rather blossoms another year [and some say that the corn shall be like the vine and they will not need every year to sow it] (Radak) HIS SCENT [his name] shall be [i] AS THE WINE OF LEBANON that grows in Lebanon which is most choice (M"D):
9 EPHRAIM shall say WHAT HAVE I TO DO ANY MORE WITH IDOLS why should I serve idols any more for he will recognize that they have no reality at all, and therefore I HAVE ANSWERED HIM AND OBSERVED HIM in his prayers and I look upon them with compassion and love I AM LIKE A GREEN CYPRESS TREE like a cypress tree which a person leans upon its branches to ascend upon it FROM ME IS YOUR FRUIT FOUND all your success fruit is from Me (according to Rashi): 10 Now when he finished his prophecy, he said WHO IS WISE AND HE SHALL UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS shall contemplate the rebukes that I spoke and shall understand them (Radak) PRUDENT AND HE SHALL KNOW THEM [who understands one thing from another, inquired in wisdom, and reached a clear knowledge (Malbim)] FOR THE WAYS OF HASHEM ARE RIGHT they are straightforward and correct, there is no crookedness or perversion in them AND THE JUST SHALL WALK IN THEM for they shall recognize and know that all His ways are justice, even a righteous person who suffers and a wicked person who prospers BUT REBELLIOUS TRANSGRESSORS SHALL STUMBLE THEREIN [J] for they shall say there is no leader to the world, for to the righteous bad comes upon him, and to the wicked good comes upon him, and therefore they do not turn back and go after the desires of their heart and shall stumble and perish (Radak): 18 The prophet Mikha praises Hashem, may He be Blessed (Radak) WHO IS AN ALMIGHTY ONE LIKE YOU [k] THAT PARDONS INIQUITY forgives and pardons the sins of the children of Israel AND PASSES BY REBELLIOUS TRANSGRESSION [l] does not stand upon the rebellious transgression to pay a person according to his recompense, but rather passes by as if He did not see it (M"D) TO THE REMNANT OF HIS HERITAGE to the generation that shall remain at the coming of the Redeemer HE RETAINS NOT FOR EVER HIS ANGER forever and wrath, but rather forgives and pardons FOR HE DESIRES LOVING-KINDNESS His loving-kindness shall prevail and annul His anger when the time of redemption arrives (Radak): 19 HE WILL TURN AGAIN, HE WILL HAVE COMPASSION UPON US as of old HE WILL SUBDUE OUR INIQUITIES captures and subdues our sins so that we are not punished for them AND YOU WILL CAST INTO THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA ALL THEIR SINS and they shall not be remembered at all (M"D): 20 YOU WILL SHOW TRUTH in the request, to make true your words promised TO YAAKOV the promise that you said to him for I will not leave you KINDNESS [m] that you promised TO AVRAHAM that he commanded his children to keep the way of Hashem WHICH YOU HAVE SWORN UNTO OUR FATHERS FROM THE DAYS OF OLD and that is after the binding of Yitzchak that you said By Myself have I sworn, says the Hashem... that I will greatly bless you etc. and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies (according to Rashi):