Exodus 34:13

Translations

Modern

Rather, you must tear down their altars, smash their sacred stones, and chop down their Asherah poles.

Traditional

But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:

Literal

But their altars you shall break down, and their pillars you shall smash, and their Asherah poles you shall cut down.

Latin

…sed aras eorum destrue, confringe statuas, lucosque succide:

Original

Hebrew

English

Rather, you must tear down their altars, smash their sacred stones, and chop down their Asherah poles.

Notes

Exodus 34:13

Asherah was a Canaanite fertility goddess who would continue to be a temptation throughout Israel’s history (see, for example, Judges 6:25; 1 Kings 14:15; 2 Kings 23:15).
The Aherah poles seem to have been fertility symbols.

Exodus 34:12–17

Worship of idols was prohibited, particularly the idols of the peoples into whose lands the Israelites were going. A key part of this restriction was the ban on treaties, or covenants, with these idol-worshiping peoples. Making a treaty would mean acknowledging their gods, as ancient treaties often called upon gods as witnesses (see study note on 20:1–23:33).

The treaties would also tempt the Israelites to adopt the customs of their treaty partners (34:12, 15–16).

Exodus 34:10–26

Some of the terms of the covenant are restated, particularly those that prohibit the worship of other gods and that describe the proper worship of the Lord.

Exodus 34:1–35

God granted the request of Moses (33:18). He showed Moses his goodness (34:1–9). He renewed the covenant (34:10–35).

This renewal was a statement made by God alone. God promised to stay with his people, keeping his covenant promises even though they had broken the covenant and deserved death and abandonment (32:1–6).

Theme notes and profiles

Moses Ancient Law Codes Pure Worship Temple Design as a Picture of God's Truth

Related verses

2 Kings 18:4
He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He also demolished the bronze snake called Nehushtan that Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had burned incense to it.
Deuteronomy 7:5
Instead, this is what you are to do to them: tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their idols in the fire.
Exodus 23:24
You must not bow down to their gods or serve them or follow their practices. Instead, you are to demolish them and smash their sacred stones to pieces.
Deuteronomy 7:25–26
You must burn up the images of their gods; do not covet the silver and gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it; for it is detestable to the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 16:21
Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole next to the altar you will build for the LORD your God,
Deuteronomy 12:2–3
Destroy completely all the places where the nations you are dispossessing have served their gods—atop the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree.
2 Kings 23:14
He smashed the sacred pillars to pieces, cut down the Asherah poles, and covered the sites with human bones.
2 Chronicles 34:3–4
In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his father David, and in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images.
Judges 6:25
On that very night the LORD said to Gideon, “Take your father’s young bull and a second bull seven years old, tear down your father’s altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.
2 Chronicles 31:1
When all this had ended, the Israelites in attendance went out to the cities of Judah and broke up the sacred pillars, chopped down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and altars throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the Israelites returned to their cities, each to his own property.
Judges 2:2
…and you are not to make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall tear down their altars.’ Yet you have not obeyed My voice. What is this you have done?

Parallels

2 Corinthians 3:7–18

People

Asherah: Canaanite goddess; associated with wooden poles, idolatry

Glossary

Amorites Book of Exodus Canaan, Canaanite Deuteronomy, Book of Elephantine Papyri Foreigner Grove History of Israel Hosea, Book of Judges, Book of Mount Sinai Oak Pillar of Fire and Cloud Tabernacle

Topics

Alliances: Political with Idolaters Forbidden Altars for Idolatrous Worship, to be Destroyed Company: Evil Fellowship with the Wicked Groves of Canaanites, to be Destroyed Iconoclasm: Idols to be Destroyed Idolatry: Everything Connected With, should be Destroyed Idolatry: Objects of, Worshipped in Groves Jealousy: Attributed to God Miscegenation: Moses Temptation: General Scriptures Concerning

Exodus 34:13

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Related verses?

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People

Glossary?

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Translations

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Related verses

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Glossary

Topics