Matthew Poole and continuators on Hosea 10:8

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 .

The Temples and Altars of Baal, and other Idols.

For Beth-aven say most Interpreters, what if Aven, vanity, folly, be here put for all Idol-Worship, and rites,

which was notoriously the sin of Israel

utterly overthrown,

and ly so long waste and desolate, that thorns and thistles shall spring up out o[illegible: 1 letter] [illegible: 1 letter]he p[illegible: 1 letter]a[illegible: 1 letter]es where their Altars once stood within their stately [illegible: 3 letters]ples.

When this shall be brought to pass, the Idolatrous I[illegible: 1 letter]raelites shall be in such perplexity, that they shall wish the Mountains and Hils might fall on them, and bury them alive [illegible: 1 word] they might escape [illegible: 1 letter]he troubles that they did foresee were coming upon them; or it may be an upbraiding them for praying to lifeless stocks or statues, and telling them in their distress, and when their Gods are go[illegible: 1 letter], and cannot help, they should cry to deaf Mountains to cover them.

Marginal references: chap. 9.6.; Isa. 2.1[illegible: 1 letter]. Luk. 23.3[illegible: 1 letter]. Rev. 6.16. and 9.6.