Exodus 34:13

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

Exodus 34:13 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 34:13

But ye shall destroy their altars
On which they had sacrificed to their idols; since, if they were allowed to continue, they might be temptations to offer sacrifice thereon, contrary to the command of God:

break their images:
of gold or silver, wood or stone, which they made for themselves, and worshipped as deities; seeing if these continued, the sight of them might lead to the worship of them, and so bring under the divine displeasure, as a breach of the command of God given them:

and cut down their groves;
which were clusters of trees, where they had their temples and their idols, and did service to them, and where, besides idolatry, many impurities were committed. Such places were originally used by good men for devotion, being shady and solitary, but when abused to superstitious and idolatrous uses, were forbidden. It is said ^F14, the word for "grove" is general, and includes every tree they serve, or plant, for an idol.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 72. 1.

Exodus 34:13 In-Context

11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day: Behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:

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

14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name [is] Jealous, [is] a jealous God:

15 Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go astray after their gods, and do sacrifice to their gods, and [one] call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;