Hosea 10 8

Hosea 10:8 kjv

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.

Hosea 10:8 nkjv

Also the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, Shall be destroyed. The thorn and thistle shall grow on their altars; They shall say to the mountains, "Cover us!" And to the hills, "Fall on us!"

Hosea 10:8 niv

The high places of wickedness will be destroyed? it is the sin of Israel. Thorns and thistles will grow up and cover their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, "Cover us!" and to the hills, "Fall on us!"

Hosea 10:8 esv

The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed. Thorn and thistle shall grow up on their altars, and they shall say to the mountains, "Cover us," and to the hills, "Fall on us."

Hosea 10:8 nlt

And the pagan shrines of Aven, the place of Israel's sin, will crumble.
Thorns and thistles will grow up around their altars.
They will beg the mountains, "Bury us!"
and plead with the hills, "Fall on us!"

Hosea 10 verses

Hosea 10 8 Meaning

The verse signifies that Israel, despite its historical dependence on Jehovah, has brought itself to ruin by forsaking God and embracing the pagan practices and symbols associated with the valley of idolatry. This self-inflicted destruction is presented as the consequence of their apostasy and misplaced trust in their own strength and in the idols they served.

Hosea 10 8 Context

Hosea 10 speaks of the severe judgment awaiting Israel due to its persistent idolatry and political unfaithfulness. Chapter 10 vividly portrays Israel as a vine that has yielded no fruit, emphasizing their sinfulness. The people had multiplied their altars and their pillars in a perverted worship of God, mixing true devotion with pagan practices. They had even established a calf at Bethel, a place where true worship was also found, thereby corrupting it. This verse specifically addresses the consequence of their actions, highlighting the destructive outcome of their dependence on man-made idols and false security instead of the LORD. The historical backdrop is the declining Northern Kingdom of Israel during a period of political instability, often seeking alliances with foreign powers instead of relying on God.

Hosea 10 8 Word Analysis

• For: This conjunction introduces the reason or cause for the impending judgment.
• surely: Emphasizes the certainty and inevitability of the coming destruction.
• I say: A direct address from God through the prophet, underscoring the divine pronouncement.
• Israel: Refers to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, characterized by its rebellion against God.
• as: Introduces a comparison, likening Israel's state to a vineyard that produces worthless fruit or is damaged.
• vine: A metaphor for Israel itself, as planted and nurtured by God (Psalm 80:8-11). A fruitful vine is a symbol of blessing, while a barren or corrupted one signifies divine displeasure.
• of a vineyard: Specifies the nature of the metaphor – a cultivated field intended for fruit-bearing.
• which: Introduces a relative clause describing the condition or consequence.
• did: Indicates a past action or characteristic.
• bring: To produce or yield.
• forth: Outward manifestation.
• fruit: In this context, the "fruit" expected from Israel was righteousness, obedience, and true worship. The verse states this fruit was "good," implying a prior state of potential or an intended purpose that was not met.
• so: Connects the cause (Israel's nature as a vineyard) with the effect (its fruitfulness).
• mine: Possessive pronoun, referring to God's claim over Israel.
• own: Reinforces God's ownership and intended purpose for Israel.
• Israel: Reiterates the subject of the judgment.
• in: Indicates location or state of being.
• the: Definite article.
• valley: The geographical location being referenced.
• of: Shows possession or association.
• contention: Can be interpreted as a place of dispute, or perhaps referring to the corrupt worship practices and resulting strife with God, or even a place where Israel contends against its true destiny. The specific "valley of contention" might allude to places of mixed or corrupt worship, where the true God was associated with pagan cults.
• shall: Indicates future tense, marking a divine decree of what will happen.
• be: Existence or state.
• broken: To be shattered, ruined, or destroyed. This signifies the complete demolition of their transgressions and the cessation of their idol worship.
• in: Location or circumstance.
• pieces: Fragments, indicating utter devastation and scattering.

Word Group Analysis:

• "Israel as a vineyard which did bring forth fruit of a vineyard so mine own": This phrase encapsulates the idea of God's proprietary claim over Israel. He planted them, cultivated them, and expected a specific kind of "fruit" – His own righteous standard reflected in their lives. Their failure to produce this righteous fruit meant their cultivated status was forfeited.
• "in the valley of contention shall be broken in pieces": This points to the locus and consequence of their sin. The "valley of contention" signifies places where they chose to contend against God's commands and instead engage in contentious, mixed worship. The breaking in pieces represents total destruction and the scattering of their religious and political structures as a consequence of their defiance.

Hosea 10 8 Bonus Section

The imagery of Israel as a vine is recurrent in Scripture (Psalm 80; Isaiah 5; Jeremiah 2). In the New Testament, Jesus uses the vine as a metaphor for His relationship with His disciples, emphasizing the need for abiding in Him to produce spiritual fruit (John 15). Hosea's lament is echoed in Jesus' parable of the wicked vinedressers, where those entrusted with the vineyard ultimately seek to claim it for themselves, resulting in their destruction (Matthew 21:33-43). This verse also highlights the theme of judgment upon those who corrupt God's worship, a principle seen throughout the Old Testament, from the consequences of the golden calf at Sinai to the later denunciations of idolatry. The phrase "broken in pieces" conveys not just destruction, but fragmentation, implying that their very identity and the institutions they built upon their sin would be utterly dissolved.

Hosea 10 8 Commentary

Hosea's prophecy in this verse presents a stark reality: Israel, despite being divinely cultivated like a vineyard, had yielded a perverted harvest of sin instead of righteousness. Their identity was tied to their relationship with Jehovah, who had specifically brought them forth to be His own. However, instead of flourishing in obedience, they corrupted this identity. The mention of the "valley of contention" likely refers to specific sites of syncretistic worship, places where Israel mixed their devotion to God with Canaanite fertility cults, thereby contending against God’s singular claim. This corruption led to their ultimate ruin, where their transgressions themselves, the very things they built their apostate worship upon, would be shattered. This divine judgment is an absolute breaking, signifying total destruction and scattering. It underscores that genuine relationship with God demands exclusive devotion, and when that is violated by syncretism and idolatry, the consequence is devastating demolition rather than fruitfulness. The verse serves as a solemn reminder that outward prosperity or religious activity devoid of pure devotion to God leads not to life, but to utter destruction.