Devarim 16:21

21 Thou shalt not set up any tree as an Asherah near unto the Mizbe’ach of Hashem Eloheicha, which thou shalt make thee.

Devarim 16:21 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 16:21

Thou shall not plant thee a grove of any trees
Of any sort of trees, as oaks or any other; not but that it was lawful to plant trees and groves of them, but not for a religious or idolatrous use: particularly

near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee;
as the Heathens did near their altars, lest it should be thought to be done for a like superstitious and idolatrous use; which evil the Jews sometimes fell into in the times of wicked reigns, and which their good and pious kings removed and destroyed; see ( 2 Kings 18:4 ) ( 21:3 ) ( 2 Kings 23:4 2 Kings 23:7 2 Kings 23:14 2 Kings 23:15 ) and Hecataeus ^F2, an Heathen historian, relates of the city of Jerusalem, that there were there no image, nor plantation, nor grove, nor any such thing.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F2 Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 4. p. 408.

Devarim 16:21 In-Context

19 Thou shalt not pervert mishpat; thou shalt not show partiality, neither take a shochad: for a bribe doth blind the eyes of the chachamim, and twist the devarim of the tzaddikim.

20 Tzedek tzedek (that which is altogether just) shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit ha’aretz which Hashem Eloheicha giveth thee.

21 Thou shalt not set up any tree as an Asherah near unto the Mizbe’ach of Hashem Eloheicha, which thou shalt make thee.

22 Neither shalt thou set thee up any matzeivah (pillar); which Hashem Eloheicha hateth.