New International VersionDestroy completely all the places on the high mountains, on the hills and under every spreading tree, where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods.
New Living Translation“When you drive out the nations that live there, you must destroy all the places where they worship their gods—high on the mountains, up on the hills, and under every green tree.
English Standard VersionYou shall surely destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.
Berean Standard BibleDestroy completely all the places where the nations you are dispossessing have served their gods—atop the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree.
King James BibleYe shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:
New King James VersionYou shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.
New American Standard BibleYou shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you are going to dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every leafy tree.
NASB 1995“You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.
NASB 1977“You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.
Legacy Standard BibleYou shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.
Amplified BibleYou shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains and the hills and under every green [leafy] tree.
Christian Standard BibleDestroy completely all the places where the nations that you are driving out worship their gods —on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree.
Holman Christian Standard BibleDestroy completely all the places where the nations that you are driving out worship their gods—on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree.
American Standard VersionYe shall surely destroy all the places wherein the nations that ye shall dispossess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:
Contemporary English VersionBut the nations that live there worship other gods. So after you capture the land, you must completely destroy their places of worship--on mountains and hills or in the shade of large trees.
English Revised VersionYe shall surely destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:
GOD'S WORD® TranslationCompletely destroy all the worship sites on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every large tree. The people you're forcing out worship their gods in these places.
Good News TranslationIn the land that you are taking, destroy all the places where the people worship their gods on high mountains, on hills, and under green trees.
International Standard VersionBe sure you destroy there all the places where the nations that you're going to dispossess serve their gods—upon the high mountains and hills and under every leafy tree.
NET BibleYou must by all means destroy all the places where the nations you are about to dispossess worship their gods--on the high mountains and hills and under every leafy tree.
New Heart English BibleYou shall surely destroy all the places in which the nations that you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains, and on the hills, and under every green tree:
Webster's Bible TranslationYe shall utterly destroy all the places in which the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleDestroy completely all the places where the nations you are dispossessing have served their gods—atop the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree.
World English BibleYou shall surely destroy all the places in which the nations that you shall dispossess served their gods: on the high mountains, and on the hills, and under every green tree. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionYou utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you are dispossessing served their gods, on the high mountains, and on the heights, and under every green tree;
Young's Literal Translation ye do utterly destroy all the places where the nations which ye are dispossessing served their gods, on the high mountains, and on the heights, and under every green tree;
Smith's Literal TranslationDestroying, ye shall destroy all the places where the nations which ye possess them served there their Gods upon the high mountains, and upon the hills and under every green tree. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleDestroy all the places in which the nations, that you shall possess, worshipped their gods upon high mountains, and hills, and under every shady tree:
Catholic Public Domain VersionOverturn all the places where the nations, which you will possess, worshipped their gods on lofty mountains, and on hills, and under every leafy tree.
New American BibleDestroy entirely all the places where the nations you are to dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree.
New Revised Standard VersionYou must demolish completely all the places where the nations whom you are about to dispossess served their gods, on the mountain heights, on the hills, and under every leafy tree. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleYou must destroy all the places wherein the nations whom you are to possess worshipped, and all their gods upon high mountains and upon the hills and under every green tree;
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedDestroy all of the regions where the nations served there, that you inherit, and their gods on the high mountains and upon the hills and under every shady tree: OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Ye shall surely destroy all the places, wherein the nations that ye are to dispossess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every leafy tree.
Brenton Septuagint TranslationYe shall utterly destroy all the places in which they served their gods, whose land ye inherit, on the high mountains and on the hills, and under the thick tree.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context One Place for Worship1These are the statutes and ordinances you must be careful to follow all the days you live in the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess. 2Destroy completelyallthe placeswherethe nationsyouare dispossessinghave servedtheir gods—atopthe highmountains,onthe hills,and undereverygreentree.3Tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, burn up their Asherah poles, cut down the idols of their gods, and wipe out their names from every place.…
Cross References 2 Kings 23:4-20Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests second in rank, and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal, Asherah, and all the host of heaven. And he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel. / Josiah also did away with the idolatrous priests ordained by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem—those who had burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven. / He brought the Asherah pole from the house of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem, and there he burned it, ground it to powder, and threw its dust on the graves of the common people. ...
2 Chronicles 34:3-7In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his father David, and in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images. / Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. / Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars. So he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. ...
Exodus 23:24You must not bow down to their gods or serve them or follow their practices. Instead, you are to demolish them and smash their sacred stones to pieces.
Leviticus 26:30I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and heap your lifeless bodies on the lifeless remains of your idols; and My soul will despise you.
Numbers 33:52you must drive out before you all the inhabitants of the land, destroy all their carved images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places.
Judges 2:2and you are not to make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall tear down their altars.’ Yet you have not obeyed My voice. What is this you have done?
1 Kings 14:23They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.
1 Kings 18:30Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people approached him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down.
Isaiah 17:8They will not look to the altars they have fashioned with their hands or to the Asherahs and incense altars they have made with their fingers.
Isaiah 27:9Therefore Jacob’s guilt will be atoned for, and the full fruit of the removal of his sin will be this: When he makes all the altar stones like crushed bits of chalk, no Asherah poles or incense altars will remain standing.
Jeremiah 17:2Even their children remember their altars and Asherah poles by the green trees and on the high hills.
Ezekiel 6:3-6You are to say: ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! This is what the Lord GOD says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places. / Your altars will be demolished and your incense altars will be smashed; and I will cast down your slain before your idols. / I will lay the corpses of the Israelites before their idols and scatter your bones around your altars. ...
Hosea 10:2Their hearts are devious; now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars and demolish their sacred pillars.
Micah 5:13-14I will also cut off the carved images and sacred pillars from among you, so that you will no longer bow down to the work of your own hands. / I will root out the Asherah poles from your midst and demolish your cities.
Matthew 15:13But Jesus replied, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by its roots.
Treasury of Scripture You shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which you shall possess served their gods, on the high mountains, and on the hills, and under every green tree: utterly Deuteronomy 7:5,25,26 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire… Exodus 23:24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. Exodus 34:12-17 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: … posses. Numbers 22:41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmostpart of the people. 2 Kings 16:4 And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. 2 Kings 17:10,11 And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree: … Jump to Previous CompletelyCurseDestroyDispossessDispossessingHighHillsLeafyMountainsNationsPlacesPossessServedSpreadingSurelyTreeUtterlyWhereinWorshipJump to Next CompletelyCurseDestroyDispossessDispossessingHighHillsLeafyMountainsNationsPlacesPossessServedSpreadingSurelyTreeUtterlyWhereinWorshipDeuteronomy 12 1.Monuments of idolatry to be destroyed4.The place of God's service to be kept15.Blood is forbidden17.Holy things must be eaten in the holy place19.The Levite is not to be forsaken20.Blood is again forbidden26.and holy things must be eaten in the holy place29.Idolatry is not to be enquired afterDestroy completely all the placesThis command emphasizes the need for total eradication of idolatry. The Israelites were instructed to leave no trace of pagan worship, highlighting the importance of purity in worship and the exclusive devotion to Yahweh. This reflects the broader biblical theme of holiness and separation from sin ( Leviticus 19:2). where the nations you are dispossessing
The nations referred to are the Canaanites, who inhabited the Promised Land before the Israelites. These nations were known for their idolatrous practices, which were abominable to God. The dispossession signifies God's judgment on these nations and His fulfillment of the promise to Abraham (Genesis 15:16). have served their gods
The Canaanites worshiped a pantheon of deities, including Baal and Asherah. Their religious practices often involved immoral and detestable acts, such as child sacrifice and ritual prostitution. This phrase underscores the spiritual danger these practices posed to the Israelites. atop the high mountains, on the hills,
High places were commonly used for worship in ancient Near Eastern cultures, believed to be closer to the divine. The Israelites were to dismantle these sites to prevent syncretism and ensure that worship was centralized in the place God would choose (Deuteronomy 12:5). and under every green tree.
Trees, particularly evergreen ones, were often associated with fertility cults and idol worship. The command to destroy these sites reflects the need to eliminate all forms of idolatry, regardless of their location or cultural significance. This also prefigures the New Testament teaching that true worship is not tied to specific locations but is in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). Persons / Places / Events 1. MosesThe author of Deuteronomy, delivering God's laws and instructions to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. 2. IsraelitesThe chosen people of God, who are being instructed to purify the land they are about to inhabit. 3. CanaanThe land that the Israelites are entering, which is currently inhabited by nations practicing idolatry. 4. High PlacesElevated sites where pagan worship was commonly practiced, often associated with idolatry. 5. Pagan NationsThe current inhabitants of Canaan, who worship false gods and whose practices are to be eradicated by the Israelites. Teaching Points Purity of WorshipGod desires pure worship, free from the influence of idolatry. Just as the Israelites were to destroy pagan sites, Christians are called to remove anything that competes with God for their devotion. Separation from SinThe command to destroy idolatrous places underscores the importance of separating from sin and anything that leads us away from God. Obedience to GodThe Israelites' success in the Promised Land was contingent upon their obedience to God's commands, including the destruction of high places. Similarly, our spiritual success is linked to our obedience to God's Word. Vigilance Against IdolatryIdolatry can take many forms today, not just physical idols. Believers must be vigilant in identifying and removing anything that takes precedence over God in their lives. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Deuteronomy 12
In Deuteronomy 12:2–4, how does the command to destroy all pagan worship sites fit with archaeological findings that some Canaanite altars appear to have remained in use?
What are high places in the Bible?
Does Solomon’s sacrifice at high places (1 Kings 3:2–3) conflict with scriptural bans on worship outside the central sanctuary?
Judges 6:25–27: Is there any archaeological evidence supporting the destruction of Baal’s altar in Gideon’s hometown?(2) Ye shall utterly destroy.--First of all these requirements is the destruction of every vestige of idolatry. In the land of Jehovah there must be no trace of any other god but Him. The non-fulfilment of this command in the early history of Israel has led some to suppose that the command itself belongs to later times. But it must be observed that the destruction of these things is inextricably connected with the conquest of the country in detail.It was part of the work assigned to the several tribes of Israel when the land had been divided by Joshua. His work was to conquer the Canaanitish armies, and give Israel possession of their chief cities. He then assigned the land to the several tribes, to make it their own throughout. Obviously, if every tribe had insisted upon destroying all monuments of idolatry in its own territory, one of two results must have followed: either the remnant of the Canaanitish nations must have been excited to fresh acts of rebellion and hostility, resulting in their extermination, or else they must have yielded themselves entirely to the worship of Jehovah. But Israel disobeyed the order. They did not themselves yield to idolatry in Joshua's time. The disturbance made respecting the altar Ed (see Joshua 22) is quite sufficient of itself to prove the strictness of the law against strange altars. But the Canaanites being left undisturbed after they ceased to resist openly, and their objects of worship being left unmolested, there were constant temptations to idolatry, to which Israel yielded. And thus it was not until the times of Heze-kiah and Josiah that these laws were carried out. But this does not prove the law to have come into existence then, any more than the present condition of the human race proves that man was not made in God's image in Paradise. Verses 2, 3. - In order to this, Israel was, as soon as the land was possessed, to destroy all the objects and means of idolatrous worship in the land. Upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree (cf. Isaiah 57:7; Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 3:6; Jeremiah 17:2; Hosea 4:13; 2 Kings 16:4; 2 Kings 17:10). The heathen had their places of worship on lofty elevations, probably because they imagined they were thus nearer to the object of their worship; and they sought also the shade of woods or thick-foliaged trees ( Ezekiel 6:13), under which to perform their rites, as tending to inspire awe, and as in keeping with the mysterious character of their rites. These places of heathen worship in Canaan the Israelites were utterly to destroy, along with the images of their deities and other objects of idolatrous worship. Burn their groves; their asherahs, idol-pillars of wood (cf. Deuteronomy 7:5).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew Destroy completelyאַבֵּ֣ד(’ab·bêḏ)Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 6:To wander away, lose oneself, to perishallכָּל־(kāl-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605:The whole, all, any, everythe placesהַמְּקֹמ֞וֹת(ham·mə·qō·mō·wṯ)Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4725:A standing, a spot, a conditionwhereאֲשֶׁ֧ר(’ă·šer)Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834:Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order thatthe nationsהַגּוֹיִ֗ם(hag·gō·w·yim)Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1471:A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locustsyouאַתֶּ֛ם(’at·tem)Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859:Thou and thee, ye and youare dispossessingיֹרְשִׁ֥ים(yō·rə·šîm)Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3423:To occupy, to seize, to rob, to inherit, to expel, to impoverish, to ruinhave servedעָֽבְדוּ־(‘ā·ḇə·ḏū-)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5647:To work, to serve, till, enslavetheir gods—אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם(’ĕ·lō·hê·hem)Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 430:gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlativeatopעַל־(‘al-)Preposition
Strong's 5921:Above, over, upon, againstthe highהָֽרָמִים֙(hā·rā·mîm)Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7311:To be high actively, to rise, raisemountains,הֶהָרִ֤ים(he·hā·rîm)Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2022:Mountain, hill, hill countryonוְעַל־(wə·‘al-)Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921:Above, over, upon, againstthe hills,הַגְּבָע֔וֹת(hag·gə·ḇā·‘ō·wṯ)Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 1389:A hillockand underוְתַ֖חַת(wə·ṯa·ḥaṯ)Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 8478:The bottom, below, in lieu ofeveryכָּל־(kāl-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605:The whole, all, any, everygreenרַעֲנָן׃(ra·‘ă·nān)Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7488:Verdant, new, prosperoustree.עֵ֥ץ(‘êṣ)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6086:Tree, trees, wood
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OT Law: Deuteronomy 12:2 You shall surely destroy all the places (Deut. De Du) |
