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Exodus 34:13

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

But ye shall destroy {H5422} their altars {H4196}, break {H7665} their images {H4676}, and cut down {H3772} their groves {H842}:

Rather, you are to demolish their altars, smash their standing-stones and cut down their sacred poles;

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

but ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and ye shall cut down their Asherim;

Commentary

Exodus 34:13 is a stern command given by God to the Israelites, immediately following the renewal of the covenant after the golden calf incident. It outlines the radical measures they must take to maintain their exclusive devotion to Yahweh as they enter the Promised Land.

Context

This verse is part of a crucial passage (Exodus 34:10-27) where God re-establishes His covenant with Israel after their severe transgression with the golden calf. Moses has just received the second set of stone tablets bearing the Ten Commandments. God is reiterating the terms of their relationship, emphasizing the necessity of absolute loyalty and separation from the idolatrous practices of the Canaanite nations they are about to dispossess. The command to destroy their altars, images, and groves is a direct consequence of the First Commandment: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me", ensuring Israel's spiritual purity in the land.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Exclusive Worship: The primary message is God's demand for singular devotion. He will not share His glory or His people's worship with false deities. This command underscores the unique nature of the covenant relationship.
  • Abolition of Idolatry: God explicitly commands the physical destruction of all symbols and sites of pagan worship. This was not merely a suggestion but an imperative for the spiritual survival of Israel.
  • Holiness and Separation: By eradicating these foreign religious elements, Israel was to maintain its distinct identity as a holy nation, set apart for God, uncontaminated by the surrounding cultures.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV translates three specific types of pagan worship objects:

  • "altars" (Hebrew: מִזְבְּחֹת, mizbechot): These were structures where sacrifices were offered to foreign gods, often associated with Baal and other Canaanite deities.
  • "images" (Hebrew: מַצֵּבֹת, matzevot): More accurately translated as "standing stones" or "pillars." These were sacred cultic pillars, often unhewn stones, erected in honor of a god or as a memorial, and were central to Canaanite ritual worship.
  • "groves" (Hebrew: אֲשֵׁרִים, asherim): This refers specifically to cultic poles or trees dedicated to the Canaanite goddess Asherah, often depicted as wooden poles or carved trees. These were prominent symbols of fertility worship and were an abomination to Yahweh.

Practical Application

While we no longer encounter physical altars, images, or groves in the same way, the principle of Exodus 34:13 remains profoundly relevant. This verse calls believers today to:

  • Identify and Remove Modern Idols: Anything that takes precedence over God in our lives—be it money, power, possessions, relationships, or even self—can become an idol. We are called to "destroy" these by shifting our ultimate devotion back to God.
  • Maintain Purity of Worship: Our worship should be solely directed towards the one true God, free from syncretism or compromise with worldly values and philosophies that contradict biblical truth.
  • Commit to Exclusive Devotion: The command reminds us that God desires our whole heart and undivided loyalty, as articulated in the greatest commandment to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Kings 18:4 (6 votes)

    He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

  • Exodus 23:24 (5 votes)

    Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.

  • Deuteronomy 16:21 (4 votes)

    Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee.

  • Deuteronomy 7:25 (4 votes)

    The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold [that is] on them, nor take [it] unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it [is] an abomination to the LORD thy God.

  • Deuteronomy 7:26 (4 votes)

    Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: [but] thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it [is] a cursed thing.

  • Deuteronomy 7:5 (4 votes)

    But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.

  • Deuteronomy 12:2 (4 votes)

    Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: