Deuteronomy 12:4

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.⁴You shall not worship the LORD your God in this way.

Summary

In this verse, God instructs the Israelites to destroy all the places where the nations they are driving out worship their gods. This command is given to prevent the Israelites from being tempted to worship false gods and to ensure their loyalty to the one true God. By removing these pagan altars and idols, God is emphasizing the importance of exclusive worship and devotion to Him alone. This verse underscores the significance of spiritual purity and the need to guard against idolatry, highlighting God's desire for His people to remain faithful to Him.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

Ye shall not do so unto the Lord your God. Not sacrifice to him on hills and mountains, and under green trees; though the Jews commonly refer this to the destruction of the names of God, and of any thing appertaining to the temple; that though the temples and the altars of the Heathens were to be overthrown, yet not a stone was to be taken from the house of God, or that belonged to it, nor any of his names to be blotted out; so the Targum of Jonathan and Maimonides (z), who also observes (a), that whoever removes a stone by way of destruction from the altar, or from the temple, or from the court, is to be beaten; so he that burns the holy wood. (z) Yesode Hattorah, c. 6. sect. 7, 9. (a) Ibid. sect. 8.