Rather, you must tear down their altarsThis command is given to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. The altars refer to the places of worship used by the Canaanites for their pagan rituals. The directive to tear them down underscores the importance of removing any temptation to idolatry and ensuring the purity of worship dedicated solely to Yahweh. This act symbolizes a complete rejection of Canaanite religious practices and a commitment to the covenant relationship with God. The destruction of altars is a recurring theme in the Old Testament, emphasizing the need for exclusive devotion to God (
Deuteronomy 7:5,
Judges 6:25-26).
smash their sacred stones
Sacred stones, or "standing stones," were often used in Canaanite religious practices as symbols of deities or as memorials for significant events. The command to smash these stones highlights the need to eliminate any physical representation of false gods, which could lead the Israelites astray. This action is a physical demonstration of the spiritual warfare against idolatry and the need to uphold the holiness of God. The destruction of these stones is a reminder of the first and second commandments, which prohibit the worship of other gods and the making of idols (Exodus 20:3-4).
and chop down their Asherah poles
Asherah poles were wooden symbols associated with the worship of the goddess Asherah, a prominent deity in the Canaanite pantheon. These poles were often placed near altars and were integral to fertility rites and other pagan ceremonies. The command to chop them down signifies the eradication of any influence that could corrupt the Israelites' worship of Yahweh. This act is not only about physical destruction but also about purifying the land from spiritual defilement. The removal of Asherah poles is echoed in the reforms of faithful kings like Hezekiah and Josiah, who sought to restore true worship in Israel (2 Kings 18:4,2 Kings 23:14).
Persons / Places / Events
1.
MosesThe leader of the Israelites who received the commandments from God on Mount Sinai. He is the central human figure in this account, acting as the mediator between God and the people.
2.
The IsraelitesThe chosen people of God, who are being instructed on how to live in the Promised Land without falling into idolatry.
3.
CanaanThe land that God promised to the Israelites, which was inhabited by various pagan nations whose religious practices were contrary to the worship of Yahweh.
4.
Asherah PolesWooden symbols associated with the worship of the Canaanite goddess Asherah, representing idolatrous practices that God commanded the Israelites to destroy.
5.
Altars and Sacred StonesStructures used in pagan worship that were prevalent in Canaanite religious practices, which God instructed the Israelites to demolish to maintain purity in worship.
Teaching Points
Purity in WorshipGod demands exclusive worship and the removal of anything that competes with or corrupts devotion to Him. Believers today must examine their lives for modern "idols" that may detract from their relationship with God.
Obedience to God's CommandsThe Israelites were called to act decisively against idolatry. Christians are similarly called to obey God's Word, even when it requires difficult or counter-cultural actions.
Spiritual WarfareThe physical destruction of pagan symbols in the Old Testament reflects the spiritual battle believers face today. Christians must be vigilant in identifying and dismantling spiritual strongholds in their lives.
Holiness and SeparationGod’s command to destroy pagan altars underscores the importance of holiness and being set apart for God. Believers are called to live distinctively, reflecting God's character in a world that often opposes His ways.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Exodus 34:13?
2.How does Exodus 34:13 instruct us to handle modern-day idols in our lives?
3.What are the consequences of not obeying God's command in Exodus 34:13?
4.How does Exodus 34:13 connect to the First Commandment in Exodus 20:3?
5.Why is it important to "tear down their altars" in our spiritual walk?
6.How can we identify and remove "sacred stones" in today's cultural context?
7.Why does Exodus 34:13 command the destruction of altars, sacred stones, and Asherah poles?
8.How does Exodus 34:13 reflect God's view on idolatry?
9.What historical evidence supports the practices mentioned in Exodus 34:13?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Exodus 34?
11.What are the Sacred Pillars?
12.What are the Sacred Pillars?
13.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?
14.Deuteronomy 21:18-21: Does the mandate to stone a rebellious son conflict with the commandment against murder (Exodus 20:13)?What Does Exodus 34:13 Mean
RatherExodus 34:12 has just warned, “Be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land you are entering.” The word “Rather” pivots from that caution to a positive command. God does not merely forbid alliance with pagan culture; He demands decisive separation (cf.2 Corinthians 6:17). The contrast is sharp: instead of blending in, Israel is called to active, visible holiness.
You must tear down their altarsAltars were the primary sites where Canaanites sacrificed to false gods. God orders Israel to dismantle them completely.
•Deuteronomy 7:5 restates the same duty: “You must tear down their altars… burn their idols with fire.”
• Gideon obeyed this command in miniature when he demolished Baal’s altar inJudges 6:25-26, proving that true worship of Yahweh cannot coexist with idolatry.
• King Josiah later did the same on a national scale (2 Kings 23:12-15).
God’s people must not tolerate neutral ground where false worship can be resurrected; every idol’s platform must be removed.
Smash their sacred stones“Sacred stones” (pillars) marked worship sites and memorialized pagan deities. Smashing them erased both the objects and the memories that sustained idolatry.
•Leviticus 26:1 forbids setting up “a carved stone or a sacred pillar.”
•Hosea 10:2 laments that Israel’s divided heart led to the breaking of “their sacred pillars” in judgment.
The action is intentional and violent: lingering symbols tempt hearts. By destroying them, Israel protects future generations from spiritual compromise.
And chop down their Asherah polesAsherah poles represented the fertility goddess Asherah, usually installed beside altars of Baal (1 Kings 14:23). God commands total removal.
•Deuteronomy 16:21: “Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole beside the altar of the LORD.”
•2 Kings 23:14 shows Josiah “smashed the sacred pillars to pieces and cut down the Asherah poles,” fulfilling this very verse.
• InJudges 3:7, Israel’s failure to remove Asherah poles led them back into idolatry.
The instruction underscores that half-measures invite relapse; complete eradication of the offense is necessary.
summaryExodus 34:13 calls God’s people to uncompromising action: eliminate every structure, memory, and opportunity for idolatry. Altars, pillars, and poles each symbolize a different facet of pagan worship, and all must go. The command protects covenant purity, safeguards future obedience, and declares that the LORD alone is worthy of worship—a timeless principle for believers determined to root out modern idols and keep wholehearted devotion to Him.
(13)
Ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves.--In the "Book of the Covenant" the command had been simply to "quite break down their images" (
Exodus 23:24). Now, after the Israelites had displayed their idolatrous leanings, it is added that they are likewise to destroy the "altars" and the "groves." Altars were common among all the idolatrous nations, sometimes attached to temples (
1Kings 16:32;
2Kings 21:4-5), sometimes separate from them (
Numbers 23:1;
Numbers 23:29;
2Kings 16:10-11), and were used for much the same purposes as the Hebrew altars:
i.e.,for sacrifices, bloody and unbloody, and for burning incense. "Groves"--here mentioned for the first time--were peculiar to a limited number of nations, as the Assyrians, Babylonians, Ph?nicians, Syrians, and a few others. They appear to have been artificial constructions, either of wood or stone, or both, imitative of vegetable forms, and probably emblematic of the productive powers of nature. The worship connected with the "groves" was of a peculiarly gross and licentious character. The very name,
asherah,was a modification of Ashtoreth, or Astarte. It is remarkable that nothing is said of destroying Canaannite temples--an indication that as yet they did not exist, and a mark of the high antiquity of the book. . . .
Verse 13. -
Yeshall destroy their altars, etc. This command is more sweeping than the corresponding one in the "Book of the Covenant" (
Exodus 23:24), which expressly mentions only the "images." Here the destruction of idol-altars and idol-groves is further commanded. On idol-altars, see
Numbers 23:1, 29;
Judges 2:2;
1 Kings 16:32;
1 Kings 18:26, etc.
Groves are here for the first time mentioned. They appear to have been artificial constructions, either of wood or metal, or both, more or less imitative of trees, and regarded as emblems of the Oriental nature-deities, especially Baal and Astarte or Ashtoreth. The word translated "grove" (
asherah) is a modification of the name Ashtoreth. The well-known "sacred tree" of the Assyrians is probably an
asherah.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Rather,כִּ֤י(kî)Conjunction
Strong's 3588:A relative conjunctionyou must tear downתִּתֹּצ֔וּן(tit·tō·ṣūn)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Strong's 5422:To pull down, break downtheir altars,מִזְבְּחֹתָם֙(miz·bə·ḥō·ṯām)Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 4196:An altarsmashתְּשַׁבֵּר֑וּן(tə·šab·bê·rūn)Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Strong's 7665:To break, break in piecestheir sacred stones,מַצֵּבֹתָ֖ם(maṣ·ṣê·ḇō·ṯām)Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 4676:Something stationed, a column, an idoland chop downתִּכְרֹתֽוּן׃(tiḵ·rō·ṯūn)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Strong's 3772:To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenanttheir Asherah poles.אֲשֵׁרָ֖יו(’ă·šê·rāw)Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 842:A Phoenician goddess, also an image of the same
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OT Law: Exodus 34:13 But you shall break down their altars (Exo. Ex) 
