then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their figured stones and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just about chasing away people; it's a command to completely dismantle the physical markers of idolatry—figured stones, metal images, and high places—because their presence constantly lures people back to worship the wrong things. The text emphasizes destroying these objects, not just ignoring them, highlighting the pervasive danger of lingering pagan practices.
then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their figured stones and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places.
English Standard Version (ESV)
As the Israelites stand on the plains of Moab, poised to enter the Promised Land, God gives them their final instructions for conquering Canaan. This command to drive out and utterly destroy the inhabitants and their idolatrous worship sites comes at the very end of their forty years of wandering. It’s a stark directive designed to ensure Israel's complete separation from the corrupting practices of the Canaanites, preventing them from falling into the same idolatry that had plagued them throughout their journey.
When God told Israel to 'drive out' the Canaanites, it wasn't about simply relocating people. What did this command truly entail?
The word translated as 'drive out' here carries a sense of utter dispossession and destruction. It wasn't just about pushing people out of their homes, but about eradicating their presence and influence. This is emphasized by the subsequent commands to 'destroy' their idolatrous objects and 'demolish' their places of worship. This wasn't a gentle eviction; it was a radical cleansing of the land to make way for God's people and His holy presence.
The command to destroy 'figured stones,' 'molten images,' and 'high places' might seem oddly specific. What deeper meaning lies within these instructions?
These objects represent the very heart of Canaanite idolatry. 'Figured stones' or 'engraved images' likely refer to idols or symbols carved into stone or other materials, used for worship. 'Molten images' were cast metal idols, sometimes believed to have special powers or influences. 'High places' (bamoth) were altars or sanctuaries, often set up on hills, where pagan rituals took place. By commanding their destruction, God was demanding a total rejection of the corrupting spiritual influences that permeated the land, not just their physical artifacts.
What happens when God's commands for cleansing are not fully carried out? The consequences are stark and severe.
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The verses immediately following (Deuteronomy 7:3-5) explain the dire results of failing to drive out the Canaanites. Those who remain would become 'snares and traps,' 'scourges in your sides,' and 'thorns in your eyes.' In essence, they would become persistent sources of temptation, oppression, and spiritual corruption. God's people would be led astray into idolatry, and the very land given to them would become a place of torment instead of blessing. This highlights the critical importance of complete obedience in removing all corrupting influences to maintain a pure relationship with God.
Understand the original words
yarash · Hebrew Verb
The act of forcefully expelling inhabitants from a territory, often used in the Old Testament to describe Israel's occupation of Canaan under divine command to maintain spiritual purity.
maskith · Hebrew Noun
Objects or stones inscribed or carved with pagan religious symbols or images, intended for idolatrous worship.
massekah · Hebrew Noun
Cast or molten idols made of metal, forbidden by the Mosaic law as they represent false gods and lead to apostasy.
bamah · Hebrew Noun
Sites, often located on hills or raised ground, used for the worship of idols or foreign deities; these were to be destroyed to ensure exclusive worship of Yahweh.
This command comes at the very threshold of the Promised Land, emphasizing that God's blessing of a new home is intrinsically linked to obedience and the complete rejection of the corrupting influences of the previous inhabitants.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites leave Egypt after God's judgment on the Egyptians and their gods, marking the beginning of their journey.
c. 1446-1406 BC
Wandering in the Wilderness
The Israelites wander for 40 years, making numerous encampments. This period is marked by rebellion and God's provision, ultimately delaying their entry into the Promised Land.
c. 1406 BC
Arrival at the Plains of Moab
The Israelites reach the plains of Moab, situated on the east side of the Jordan River, opposite Jericho. This is their final encampment before entering the Promised Land.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Command to Purge the Land
God instructs the Israelites to drive out and utterly destroy all the inhabitants of Canaan, along with their idolatrous symbols and places of worship.
c. 1406 BC
Division of the Land
Following the conquest, the land of Canaan is to be divided among the tribes by lot, ensuring each receives an inheritance according to God's promise.
This passage commands Israel to destroy the idols and high places of the Canaanites, directly paralleling the instruction in Numbers 33:52 and highlighting the importance of eradicating idolatry.
Deuteronomy 7:5This verse reiterates the command to destroy the religious symbols and practices of the nations inhabiting Canaan, emphasizing the need to completely remove all traces of their idolatrous worship.
Leviticus 26:1This passage warns against making 'a stone of imagery' (which relates to the 'figured stones' in Numbers) and worshipping it, underscoring the spiritual danger of idolatry that the Israelites were commanded to eradicate.
Joshua 6:21The destruction of Jericho, including utterly destroying everything in it with the sword, demonstrates the principle of complete annihilation of the inhabitants and their possessions as commanded against the Canaanites.
1 Kings 14:23This verse describes the continued practice of building high places for idolatrous worship by the people of Judah, showing the long-term consequences of not fully eradicating such practices as commanded in Numbers 33:52.
wesleyNumbers 33:52: "Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:"
33:52 Drive out - Not by banishing, but by destroying them. Pictures - Which seem to have been stones curiously engraven, and set up for worship. High Places - Chapels, altars, groves, or other means of worship there set up.
clarkeNumbers 33:52: "Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:"
Ye shall - destroy all their pictures - משכיתם maskiyotham, from שחה sachah, to be like, or resemble, either pictures, carved work, or embroidery, as far as these things were employed to exhibit the abominations of idolatry. Molten images צלמי מסכתם tsalmey massechotham, metallic talismanical…
This isn't just about chasing away people; it's a command to completely dismantle the physical markers of idolatry—figured stones, metal images, and high places—because their presence constantly lures people back to worship the wrong things. The text emphasizes destroying these objects, not just ignoring them, highlighting the pervasive danger of lingering pagan practices.
As the Israelites stand on the plains of Moab, poised to enter the Promised Land, God gives them their final instructions for conquering Canaan. This command to drive out and utterly destroy the inhabitants and their idolatrous worship sites comes at the very end of their forty years of wandering. It’s a stark directive designed to ensure Israel's complete separation from the corrupting practices of the Canaanites, preventing them from falling into the same idolatry that had plagued them throughout their journey.
As the Israelites stand on the plains of Moab, poised to enter the Promised Land, God gives them their final instructions for conquering Canaan. This command to drive out and utterly destroy the inhabitants and their idolatrous worship sites comes at the very end of their forty years of wandering. It’s a stark directive designed to ensure Israel's complete separation from the corrupting practices of the Canaanites, preventing them from falling into the same idolatry that had plagued them throughout their journey.
"then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their figured stones and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places." — This isn't just about chasing away people; it's a command to completely dismantle the physical markers of idolatry—figured stones, metal images, and high places—because their presence constantly lure…
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Last reviewed October 2026