Hosea 10:8

8 The high places of Aven ^[a] will be destroyed— it is the sin of Israel; thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!” ^[b]

Hosea 10:8 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 10:8

The high places also of Aven
Bethel, which is not only as before called Bethaven, the house of iniquity; but Aven, iniquity itself; the high places of it were the temple and altars built there for idolatrous service, which were usually set on hills and mountains: the sin of Israel shall be destroyed;
that is, which high places are the sin of Israel, the occasion of sin unto them; and where they committed sin, the sin of idolatry, in worshipping the calves; these should be thrown down, demolished, and no longer used: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars;
lying in ruins, these shall grow upon them, the people and priests being carried captive that used to sacrifice upon them; but now they shall lie deserted by them, being destroyed by the enemy: and they shall say to the mountains, cover us; and to the hills, fall
on us;
not that the high places and altars shall say so in a figurative sense, according to R. Moses in Aben Ezra; but, as Japhet, they that worshipped there, the priests and people of Samaria, Bethaven, and even of all Israel, because of their great distress; and, as persons in the utmost consternation, and in despair, and confounded, and ashamed, shall call to the mountains and hills where they have been guilty of idolatry to hide and cover them from the wrath of God; see ( Luke 23:30 ) ( Revelation 6:16 ) .

Hosea 10:8 In-Context

6 Yes, it will be carried to Assyria as tribute to the great king. Ephraim will be seized with shame; Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols.

7 Samaria will be carried off with her king like a twig on the surface of the water.

8 The high places of Aven will be destroyed— it is the sin of Israel; thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!”

9 Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel, and there you have remained. Did not the battle in Gibeah overtake the sons of iniquity?

10 I will chasten them when I please; nations will be gathered against them to put them in bondage for their double transgression.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or of wickedness; Aven is a reference to Beth-aven (a derogatory term for Bethel); see verse 5.
• [b]. Cited in Luke 23:30; see also Revelation 6:16.