Hosea 10:8
The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.
Original Language Analysis
אָ֗וֶן
also of Aven
H206
אָ֗וֶן
also of Aven
Strong's:
H206
Word #:
3 of 16
aven, the contemptuous synonym of three places, one in coele-syria, one in egypt (on), and one in palestine (bethel)
חַטַּאת֙
the sin
H2403
חַטַּאת֙
the sin
Strong's:
H2403
Word #:
4 of 16
an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also (concretely) an offender
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל
of Israel
H3478
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל
of Israel
Strong's:
H3478
Word #:
5 of 16
he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
יַעֲלֶ֖ה
shall come up
H5927
יַעֲלֶ֖ה
shall come up
Strong's:
H5927
Word #:
8 of 16
to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
עַל
H5921
עַל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
9 of 16
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
לֶֽהָרִים֙
to the mountains
H2022
לֶֽהָרִים֙
to the mountains
Strong's:
H2022
Word #:
12 of 16
a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)
כַּסּ֔וּנוּ
Cover
H3680
כַּסּ֔וּנוּ
Cover
Strong's:
H3680
Word #:
13 of 16
properly, to plump, i.e., fill up hollows; by implication, to cover (for clothing or secrecy)
Cross References
Luke 23:30Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.Revelation 6:16And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:Isaiah 2:19And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.Hosea 9:6For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.Isaiah 32:13Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city:Amos 8:14They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beer-sheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again.Isaiah 34:13And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation of dragons, and a court for owls.Deuteronomy 9:21And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small, even until it was as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount.1 Kings 13:34And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.1 Kings 14:16And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.
Historical Context
Assyrian conquest destroyed northern shrines. Archaeological evidence shows abandoned cult sites from this period. Thorns overgrowing altars fulfilled the prophecy - desolation replacing worship. The cry to mountains appears multiple times in Scripture, always indicating extreme terror before judgment. Jesus's quotation shows pattern continuing. Modern application: those rejecting Christ will ultimately cry for anything to escape His wrath. Yet nothing shields from divine judgment except Christ Himself, who bore it for believers (Romans 8:1).
Questions for Reflection
- What does the desperate cry to mountains to fall and cover demonstrate about the terror of facing God's unmediated wrath?
- How should this imagery drive me to Christ as only refuge from coming judgment?
Analysis & Commentary
The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us. Aven (Beth-aven, Bethel) high places - Israel's primary sin - will be destroyed. Thorns and thistles overgrowing altars shows complete desolation and agricultural curse (Genesis 3:18). The terrified cry Cover us, Fall on us expresses desperate desire to escape judgment. Jesus quotes this (Luke 23:30) about Jerusalem's destruction. Revelation 6:16 applies it to final judgment. Better to die under falling mountains than face God's wrath. Only Christ bears wrath for believers.