Midrash su Osea 14:6

R. Samuel b. Nachmeni, in the name of R. Jonathan, said: Three men made an unreasonable demand (making their actions dependent on chance); two of them were answered desirably (Providence favored their ways), but one was answered according [to his unreasonableness]. They are: Eliezer, the servant of Abraham; Saul, the son of Kish; and Jephthah, of Gilead. Concerning Eliezer it is written (Gen. 24, 13) … and the daughters of the men of this city come out to draw water, etc. Now, such a maiden might have been blind or maimed, nevertheless he was answered desirably when Rebekah came [providentially] to him. Concerning Saul, the son of Kish, it is written (I Sam. 17, 25) And it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, etc. It might have happened that a slave, or an illegitimate son, might accomplish the feat, nevertheless he was answered desirably; and David came [providentially] to him. Concerning Jephthah it is written (Jud. 11, 31) Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house … I will offer it up for a burnt-offering. An unclean animal might have come forth [which would not be a proper sacrifice] . He was therefore answered undesirably, for his own daughter came [providentially] to meet him. This is meant by the words of the prophet (Jer. 8, 22) Is there no mere balm in Gilead? Or, is no physician there? And further, it is written (Ib. 19, 5) which I had not commanded nor spoken, and which had not come into my mind; i.e., which I had not commanded refers to the son of Mesha, the King of Moab, as it is said (II Kings, 3, 27) Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stand, and offered him for a burnt-offering upon the wall. And there came great wrath upon Israel; and they departed from him, and returned to their own land; nor spoken, refers to the daughter of Jephthah, the Gilodite; and which had not come into my mind, refers to Isaac, son of Abraham." R. Berachia said: "The congregation of Israel also made an unreasonable demand, but the Holy One, praised be He! answered it in a desirable manner, as it is written (Hos 6, 3) And let us know, eagerly strive to know the Lord; His going forth is sure as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth. The Holy One, praised be He! said: 'My daughter, thou askest a thing which is sometimes desirous and sometimes superfluous, nevertheless I shall be to thee as a thing which is needed all the time; as it is said (Ib. 14, 6) I will be as the dew unto Israel. Another time did the congregation of Israel make an unreasonable demand, saying: 'Sovereign of the universe! (Songs 8, 6) Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm.' Whereupon the Lord said: 'Thou askest me to do a thing which sometimes can be observed and sometimes cannot; but I will set thee as a seal in such a place that you will always be observed'; as it is said (Is. 49, 16) Behold, upon the palms of my hands have I engraved thee."

Rabbi Avun said: Just as this lily, when a hot wind passes over it, it is shriveled [and] when dew emerges, it blossoms; so too, as long as the shadow of Esau exists, [Israel] appears shriveled in this world. When the shadow of Esau has passed, Israel blossoms and develops. That is what is written: “I will be like dew to Israel, it will blossom like a lily” (Hosea 14:6). Just as this lily continues to exist due to its fragrance,³¹It has value even when it shrivels up as long as it retains its fragrance (see Matnot Kehuna; Etz Yosef). so Israel continues to exist due to mitzvot and good deeds. Just as this lily is only for its fragrance, so too, the righteous were created only for the redemption of Israel. Just as this lily is placed on the table of kings from beginning to end,³²Of the meal. so too Israel, they are in this world and they are in the World to Come. Just as this lily is conspicuous among the grasses, so Israel is conspicuous among the nations of the world, as it is stated: “All who see them will recognize them” (Isaiah 61:9). Just as this lily is designated for Shabbatot and festivals, so, Israel is designated for the future redemption.
Rabbi Berekhya said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Go say to Israel: My children, when you were in Egypt, you were like a lily among the thorns. Now that you are entering the land of Canaan, be like a lily among the thorns, pay attention that you will not emulate the practices of these or the actions of those.’ That is what is written: “You shall not emulate the practices of the land of Egypt in which you lived, and you shall not emulate the practices of the land of Canaan where I am bringing you …” (Leviticus 18:3).

Rabbi Aivu said: There were two matters that Israel requested of the Holy One blessed be He but they did not request properly, and the prophets arose and corrected them. Israel said: “He will come to us like the rain” (Hosea 6:3). The prophets said to them: ‘You did not request properly, as these rains are an imposition upon the world. Wayfarers suffer from them, seafarers suffer from them, roof repairers suffer from them, wine stompers suffer from them, loaders of the threshing floor suffer from them, one whose cistern is full of water and whose winepress is full of wine suffer from them, and you say: “He will come to us like the rain”?’ The prophets arose and corrected them: “I will be like dew for Israel” (Hosea 14:6). Moreover, Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: “Place me as a seal upon Your heart, as a seal upon Your arm.” The prophets said to them: ‘You did not request properly, as the heart is sometimes visible and sometimes not visible, and its seal is not visible.¹⁵The arm is similarly covered at times by one’s garment. What would be proper? “You will be a crown of splendor in the hand of the Lord”’ (Isaiah 62:3).
Rabbi Simon ben Kuzit said in the name of Rabbi Levi: The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Neither you nor your prophets requested properly and appropriately. A king of flesh and blood passes, and the crown falls off his head along with the royal diadem that is upon it. What would be proper? That is what is written: “Behold I have engraved you upon My palms, your walls are always before Me” (Isaiah 49:16). Just as it is impossible for a person to forget his palms, so too, “even these may forget, but I will not forget you”’ (Isaiah 49:15).