Exodus 34:13

13 But ouerthrowe their alters and breke their pilers, and cutt doune their grooues,

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 kepe all that I commaunde the this daye, and beholde: I will cast out before the: the Amorites, Canaanites, Hethites, Pherezites, Heuites and Iebusites.

12 Take hede to thi selfe, that thou make no compacte with the inhabiters of the lode whether thou goest lest it be cause of ruyne amonge you.

13 But ouerthrowe their alters and breke their pilers, and cutt doune their grooues,

14 for thou shalt worshippe no straunge God For the Lorde is called gelous, because he is a gelous God:

15 lest yf thou make any agreament with the inhabiters of the lande, when they go a whoorynge after their goddes ad do sacrifyce vnto their goddes, they call the and thou eate of their sacrifyce: