Exodus 34:13 · Bible study
Exodus 34:13 Commentary: A Radical Command
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Exodus 34:13 packs three verbs: tear down, shatter, cut down.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God commands Israel to destroy all Canaanite worship sites, altars, standing stones, and Asherah poles, as a non-negotiable part of covenant loyalty.
- Key words: mizbeach (altar), maṣṣēbāh (pillar/standing stone), ăšērāh (Asherah pole/sacred tree). Each verb is an emphatic second-person plural imperative.
- Main debate: Whether the Asherah (ăšērāh) was a goddess (Ashirta/Astarte) whose emblem was the pole, or simply the pole itself representing a cultic object.
- Theological theme: The exclusivity of Yahweh worship; God's jealous love that tolerates no rivals.
- Best use: Preaching on covenant faithfulness, spiritual compromise, and the need for radical removal of anything that competes with God.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Rather, you must tear down their altars, smash their sacred stones, and chop down their Asherah poles.
WEB World English Bible 2000
but you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and you shall cut down their Asherah poles;
KJV King James Version 1769
But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
but ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and ye shall cut down their Asherim;
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
for their altars ye break down, and their standing pillars ye shiver, and its shrines ye cut down;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
but ye shall demolish their altars, shatter their statues, and hew down their Asherahs.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But destroy their altars, break their statues and cut down their groves:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas derribaréis sus altares, y quebraréis sus estatuas, y talaréis sus bosques:
Mas derrubareis seus altares, e quebrareis suas estátuas, e cortareis seus bosques:
Au contraire, vous renverserez leurs autels, vous briserez leurs statues, et vous abattrez leurs idoles.
sondern ihre Altäre sollst du umstürzen und ihre Götzen zerbrechen und ihre Haine ausrotten;
Maar hun altaren zult gijlieden omwerpen, en hun opgerichte beelden zult gij verbreken, en hun bossen zult gij afhouwen.
ma demolite i loro altari, frantumate le loro colonne, abbattete i loro idoli;
Przetoż ołtarze ich zburzycie, bałwany ich połamiecie, i gaje ich święcone wyrąbiecie.
Жертвенники их разрушьте, столбы их сокрушите, вырубите священные рощи их, [и изваяния богов их сожгите огнем],
卻要 拆毀 他們的祭壇，打碎 他們的柱像，砍下 他們的木偶。
But their altars are to be overturned and their pillars broken and their images cut down:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 34:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Exodus 34:13 commands the systematic erasure of Canaanite religious objects as part of Israel's covenant with God. The altars, pillars and Asherah poles are physical structures that represent the worship of other gods. God's jealousy (verse 14) demands total removal.
The Cambridge Bible notes that 'pillars' (maṣṣēbōt) are standing stones, and Asherah poles (ăšērîm) are sacred wooden posts often set up beside Baal's altars. Keil and Delitzsch specify that the ăšērîm were wooden pillars representing Astarte, the Canaanite nature goddess. Gill's Exposition adds that the word for 'grove' includes any tree used for idol worship. The three verbs, tittōṣūn (pull down), těšabbērūn (break in pieces), tikrōtūn (cut down), are second person plural with a paragogic nun, strengthening the imperative force: this is not a suggestion but a non-negotiable boundary of the covenant.
The prevailing view is that these objects were not merely symbols but actual loci of Canaanite worship, and their destruction protected Israel from spiritual compromise. The command is absolute: no covenant with the inhabitants, no tolerance of their sacred furniture.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Asherah as goddess symbol: The Cambridge Bible and other sources note the existence of a goddess 'Ashirta' in cuneiform texts; the polemic against the poles would then target the worship of that deity.
- Asherah as cultic tree/pole only: Gill's and others describe the <em>ăšērāh</em> as a 'grove' or tree, representing a place of worship rather than a specific divine being. The command focuses on the object itself.
What is clear: What is not disputed: God demands total removal of these objects because they represent rival worship, and the command is grounded in his exclusive claim on Israel's loyalty.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the Asherah poles | They were cultic objects, usually wooden poles or trees, erected beside Canaanite altars and associated with the worship of a female deity. | Some interpreters identify the <em>ăšērāh</em> as a representation of the goddess Asherah (Astarte/Ashirta), while others see it as a wooden symbol without a specific goddess, a 'sacred tree' substitute. The supplied commentaries show this uncertainty: the Cambridge Bible notes the distinction without resolving it. |
| Applicability for Christians | The command underscores the seriousness of exclusive devotion to God and warns against any form of spiritual compromise. | Traditions differ on how to apply the command today. Some see it as a literal directive to remove all religious images from church and home (iconoclasm). Others interpret it spiritually: not physical objects, but idols of the heart (money, power, relationships) must be 'destroyed'. Both agree the principle of exclusive loyalty stands. |
| The nature of God's jealousy | God's jealousy is not petty envy but holy, covenant love that will not share his people's devotion with other gods. | Some traditions emphasize God's jealousy as a reflection of his righteous anger against sin, others as his passionate desire for relationship. Both affirm it is a positive attribute in the covenant context. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Exodus 34:13 sits within the renewal of the covenant after the golden calf incident (Exodus 32). Israel had broken the first covenant through idolatry; now God reaffirms his commitment but sharpens the warning. The surrounding verses (11, 16) list six Canaanite nations to be driven out, then deliver a terse prohibition: 'Make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land' (verse 12). The reason is that such alliances will lead Israel 'to go a whoring after their gods', a phrase Keil and Delitzsch note appears here for the first time, using the marriage metaphor for the covenant relationship.
Archaeological and textual evidence indicates that Canaanite worship involved altars of stone or earth, standing pillars (maṣṣēbōt) often anointed or placed beside altars, and wooden poles or trees called ăšērîm. The Cambridge Bible cites the Tell el-Amarna letters and a tablet from Taanach (c. 1350 BC) mentioning 'Ashirta', possibly a goddess, suggesting the pole was her emblem. Gill's notes that these groves were places where, besides idolatry, 'many impurities were committed.'
This command is not new; it echoes Exodus 23:24 and is repeated in Deuteronomy 7:5 and 12:3. The repetition shows how crucial this was for a people surrounded by seductive religious practices. God's jealousy (verse 14) is not petulance but exclusive love: he will not share his people's devotion. The command to destroy is therefore a protective measure, not raw violence. It protects the relationship itself.
Modern readers often find the command harsh. Understanding its covenant context, God restoring a broken marriage, setting clear boundaries, helps. The objects themselves could not harm; their power lay in what they represented: an alternative, competing allegiance.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and lexical sources note no significant textual variants for Exodus 34:13. The verse is textually stable across the manuscript traditions. The main interpretive challenge concerns the identity of the ăšērîm (Asherah poles), not the wording itself.
Reception History
Exodus 34:13 has been read across Christian history as a key text for exclusive worship. The early church saw it as a warning against pagan influences, with writers like Origen and Augustine applying it to renouncing idolatry in daily life. During the Reformation, the verse was invoked by iconoclasts who destroyed statues and altars in churches, arguing that such objects were modern 'Asherah poles'. Calvin and other reformers taught that the command shows God's intolerance of any rival, whether external image or internal affection. In modern evangelical tradition, the text is often spiritualized: the 'altars' and 'pillars' become visible sins or habits that need to be demolished by a deliberate act of obedience. The verse continues to challenge believers to examine what competes for the devotion that belongs to God alone.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God commands total removal of rival worship, altars (places of sacrifice), pillars (standing stones), and Asherah poles (wooden symbols). Nothing is left standing. Each Hebrew verb is emphatic: pull down, shatter, cut down.
- The reason is covenant faithfulness, God is 'Jealous' (verse 14). This is the language of exclusive marriage. The golden calf had shown how quickly Israel could stray; now God builds a fence around the relationship.
- Compromise is a snare, not a safety, Verse 12 warns that a covenant with the inhabitants will become 'a snare'. What looks like peaceful coexistence leads to spiritual adultery. The command protects, not punishes.
Five-point outline
- The context: Covenant renewal after the golden calf (Exodus 32, 34). Israel is being restored but warned.
- The objects: Altars, pillars, Asherah poles, the furniture of Canaanite religion. Each had specific meaning in its culture.
- The verbs: Three distinct actions, tear down, break to pieces, cut down. The total destruction is deliberate and thorough.
- The rationale: God's jealousy (verse 14). Not selfishness but holy love that brooks no rival.
- The application: Not about physical objects today but about anything that displaces God, a warning to clear out spiritual clutter.
Illustration hooks
- Spring cleaning: Boxes of old photos from a painful relationship, keeping them clutters the heart. Sometimes you have to throw them out, not just move them to the attic.
- Weeding the garden: Pulling out one weed leaves roots; if you don't dig deep, it grows back double. God commands thorough removal, not a quick snip.
- Phone notifications: A constant ping from an app competing for your attention. You don't 'limit' it; you delete it. That's the kind of removal God asks for.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this mean Christians today should destroy images or statues in other people's homes?
- Isn't this command violent and intolerant? How does it fit with Jesus' teaching to love enemies?
- What are the 'Asherah poles' in my own life, the things I have allowed to compete with God?
Leading a Discussion
This verse is part of God's covenant renewal with Israel after the golden calf. The command to destroy Canaanite religious objects may feel distant, but the principle, removing anything that competes with exclusive loyalty to God, is as urgent today as it was then. As you discuss, try to see both the historical context and the heart behind the command.
Discussion questions
- Read Exodus 34:10, 17 as a group. What do you notice about the way God frames this command? What is the 'snare' he warns about in verse 12?
- Why do you think God focuses on destroying physical objects (altars, pillars, poles) rather than just telling Israel to 'worship me only'? What does that suggest about human nature?
- The word 'jealous' in verse 14 can sound negative. How does the marriage covenant (Hosea, Ephesians 5) help us understand God's jealousy as something good and protective?
- In what ways do spiritual 'Asherah poles' exist in our culture today, things that claim our devotion without being obviously evil?
- How do we balance the Old Testament command to destroy idols with Jesus' command to love our neighbours (Mark 12:31)? When does a 'no compromise' stance become unloving?
- Think of a time you had to remove something from your life that was distracting you from God. What helped you follow through? What made it hard?
- What kind of community support would help you identify and remove the 'altars' and 'pillars' that compete for your heart?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 23:24 | You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor follow their practices, but you shall utterly overthrow them and demolish their pillars. |
| Deuteronomy 7:5 | But you shall deal with them like this: you shall break down their altars, dash their pillars in pieces, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their engraved images with fire. |
| Deuteronomy 7:25 | You shall burn the engraved images of their gods with fire. You shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it for yourself, lest you be snared in it; for it is an abomination to Yahweh your God. |
| Deuteronomy 7:26 | You shall not bring an abomination into your house and become a devoted thing like it. You shall utterly detest it. You shall utterly abhor it; for it is a devoted thing. |
| Deuteronomy 12:2 | You 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. |
| Deuteronomy 12:3 | You shall break down their altars, dash their pillars in pieces, and burn their Asherah poles with fire. You shall cut down the engraved images of their gods. You shall destroy their name out of that place. |
| Deuteronomy 16:21 | You shall not plant for yourselves an Asherah of any kind of tree beside Yahweh your God’s altar, which you shall make for yourselves. |
| Judges 2:2 | You shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land. You shall break down their altars.’ But you have not listened to my voice. Why have you done this? |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Ye shall destroy their images - See the subjects of this and all the following verses, to Exo 34:28 , treated at large in the notes on Exodus 23 (note).
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary identifies the "Asherah" as a sacred wooden post or pillar associated with Canaanite worship, not simply a tree substitute. It notes evidence from ancient inscriptions suggesting an underlying goddess named Asherah, whose emblem this pillar may have been. The text explains that such objects were strictly forbidden because of their pagan religious connections.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible note stresses that God commands complete destruction of every idolatrous object, not just the altars and images but even the groves. Nothing that could tempt Israel to pagan worship is to be left standing, because the smallest remnant might lead them back into sin.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that while groves (clusters of trees) were once used by devout people for quiet devotion, they became forbidden once they were abused for idolatry and immorality. The command to destroy altars, images, and groves aims to remove every temptation that could lead God's people back to worshiping false gods.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch highlight that the two commands God repeats—avoiding alliances with Canaanites and worshiping only Jehovah—form the main pillars supporting the renewed covenant. They note that the phrase "go a whoring" for idolatry appears here for the first time, emphasizing the marriage-like bond between Israel and their God.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees Exodus 34 as the peak of Mosaic revelation, where God's own proclamation of His name transforms the law by grounding it in grace and pardon. The covenant is not simply restored but modified, with forgiveness now its foundation. Moses' shining face and subsequent veil symbolize both the glory of this revelation and the distance between it and the people's understanding.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that when the covenant was broken, Israel broke it, but when it is renewed, God alone makes it. He sees God’s initiative in restoring fellowship as the key wonder, calling covenant-blessings marvellous acts that only God can accomplish.