You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just about tearing down pagan structures; it's about eradicating the very memory and temptation of idolatry. The command to destroy altars, images, and "groves" (often symbols tied to fertility goddesses like Asherah) emphasizes a complete break from anything that could draw Israel's heart away from the One True God.
You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim
English Standard Version (ESV)
Fresh off the revelation of God's character and a renewed covenant after the golden calf incident, God instructs Moses on how the Israelites are to inhabit the Promised Land. This involves a complete purging of Canaanite religious practices, demanding the destruction of their altars, sacred pillars, and symbols like the Asherah, which were often associated with licentious worship and tied to the goddess Astarte. This directive immediately follows God's promise to drive out the inhabitants and His reassurance of His presence with them.
God's people were entering a new land, but it was filled with the leftover religious practices of the people who lived there before. What did God want them to do about it?
In Exodus 34:13, God gives a stark command to Moses: 'You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim.' This wasn't just a suggestion; it was a directive for absolute demolition of anything connected to Canaanite worship.
Why such a drastic command?
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The word 'Asherim' might sound unfamiliar. What was it, and why was it so important to destroy?
The term 'Asherim' refers to objects associated with the worship of a prominent Canaanite goddess, often identified with Asherah or Astarte. These weren't just random trees; they were significant religious symbols.
What were Asherim?
Understand the original words
mizbeah · Hebrew Noun
A structure or place, typically of stone or earth, designed for offering sacrifices or burnt offerings to a deity as an act of worship or propitiation.
matsebah · Hebrew Noun
Upright stone monuments or stelae often associated with Canaanite worship, representing the presence or power of a deity.
asherah · Hebrew Noun
Cultic objects, likely wooden poles or carved images representing the Canaanite fertility goddess Asherah, used in idolatrous worship practices.
This passage directly echoes the command from Exodus, urging the Israelites to destroy the altars and sacred pillars of the nations they are about to dispossess. It reinforces the idea that these objects were tied to detestable worship and must be completely eradicated.
Judges 2:2Here, the angel of the Lord chastises the Israelites for not destroying the altars and Asherim of the Canaanites. This shows the severe consequences of failing to obey God's command to purge the land of idolatrous symbols.
1 Kings 18:26This passage depicts the prophets of Baal engaging in their worship. It highlights the very altars and practices that God commanded the Israelites to destroy, showing what the people were to actively reject.
2 Kings 23:14King Josiah's reforms include the destruction of altars and Asherah poles that King Solomon had set up. This demonstrates how, even centuries later, the residual influence of idolatry required decisive action and adherence to the commands given in Exodus.
gillExodus 34:13: "But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:"
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 the…
clarkeExodus 34:13: "But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:"
Ye shall destroy their images - See the subjects of this and all the following verses, to Exodus 34:28 , treated at large in the notes on Exodus 23 (note).
This isn't just about tearing down pagan structures; it's about eradicating the very memory and temptation of idolatry. The command to destroy altars, images, and "groves" (often symbols tied to fertility goddesses like Asherah) emphasizes a complete break from anything that could draw Israel's heart away from the One True God.
Fresh off the revelation of God's character and a renewed covenant after the golden calf incident, God instructs Moses on how the Israelites are to inhabit the Promised Land. This involves a complete purging of Canaanite religious practices, demanding the destruction of their altars, sacred pillars, and symbols like the Asherah, which were often associated with licentious worship and tied to the goddess Astarte. This directive immediately follows God's promise to drive out the inhabitants and His reassurance of His presence with them.
Fresh off the revelation of God's character and a renewed covenant after the golden calf incident, God instructs Moses on how the Israelites are to inhabit the Promised Land. This involves a complete purging of Canaanite religious practices, demanding the destruction of their altars, sacred pillars, and symbols like the Asherah, which were often associated with licentious worship and tied to the goddess Astarte. This directive immediately follows God's promise to drive out the inhabitants and His reassurance of His presence with them.
"You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim" — This isn't just about tearing down pagan structures; it's about eradicating the very memory and temptation of idolatry. The command to destroy altars, images, and "groves" (often symbols tied to fe…
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Last reviewed October 2026