Hosea 10:8

10:8 The high places of the “House ¹  of Wickedness” ²  will be destroyed;

it is the place where Israel sins.

Thorns and thistles will grow up over its altars.

Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!”

and to the hills, “Fall on us!”

Psalms 107:34

107:34 and a fruitful land into a barren place, ³ 

because of the sin of its inhabitants.

Proverbs 24:31

24:31 I saw ⁴  that thorns had grown up all over it,

the ground ⁵  was covered with weeds,

and its stone wall was broken down.

Isaiah 5:6

5:6 I will make it a wasteland;

no one will prune its vines or hoe its ground, ⁶ 

and thorns and briers will grow there.

I will order the clouds

not to drop any rain on it.

Isaiah 7:23

7:23 At that time ⁷  every place where there had been a thousand vines worth a thousand shekels will be overrun ⁸  with thorns and briers.

Isaiah 32:13

32:13 Mourn ⁹  over the land of my people,

which is overgrown with thorns and briers,

and over all the once-happy houses ¹⁰ 

in the city filled with revelry. ¹¹ 

Isaiah 34:13

34:13 Her fortresses will be overgrown with thorns;

thickets and weeds will grow ¹²  in her fortified cities.

Jackals will settle there;

ostriches will live there. ¹³ 

¹ tn Alternately, “Aven” (KJV, NAB, NRSV, NLT) for the city name “Beth Aven.” The term “Beth” (house) does not appear in the Hebrew text here, but is implied (e.g., Hos 4:15). It is supplied in the translation for clarity.

² tc The MT reads בָּמוֹת אָוֶן (bamot ’aven, “high places of Aven”); however, several Hebrew mss read בָּמוֹת בֵּית אָוֶן (bamot bet ’aven, “high places of Beth Aven”). In Hos 4:15 the name בֵּית אָוֶן (“Beth Aven”; Heb “house of wickedness”) is a wordplay on “Bethel” (Heb “house of God”). It is possible that בָּמוֹת בֵּית אָוֶן (“high places of Beth Aven”) was original: בֵּית (bet, “house”) dropped out as an unintentional scribal error by haplography due to presence of the consonants בת in the preceding word במות (bamot, “high places”).

³ tn Heb “a salty land.”

⁴ tn The Hebrew term וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, traditionally “and, lo” [KJV, ASV]) is a deictic particle that calls attention to what comes next. “And look” is too abrupt here; “I saw” calls attention to the field that was noticed.

⁵ tn Heb “its face” (so KJV, ASV).

⁶ tn Heb “it will not be pruned or hoed” (so NASB); ASV and NRSV both similar.

⁷ tn Heb “in that day.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

⁸ tn Heb “will become” (so NASB); NAB “shall be turned to.”

⁹ tn “Mourn” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text vv. 12-13 are one long sentence.

¹⁰ tn Heb “indeed, over all the houses of joy.” It is not certain if this refers to individual homes or to places where parties and celebrations were held.

¹¹ sn This same phrase is used in 22:2.

¹² tn The words “will grow” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

¹³ tc Heb “and she will be a settlement for wild dogs, a dwelling place for ostriches.” The translation assumes an emendation of חָצִיר (khatsir, “grass”) to חָצֵר (khatser, “settlement”). One of the Qumran scrolls of Isaiah (1QIsa^a) supports this emendation (cf. HALOT 344 s.v. II חָצִיר)