Deuteronomy 12:3

1 These 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.

2 Destroy 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.

Tear 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.

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

5 Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Tear 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.
KJV
And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.
WEB
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.
ASV
and ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and burn their Asherim with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods; and ye shall destroy their name out of that place.
DARBY
and ye shall break down their altars, and shatter their statues, and burn their Asherahs with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and ye shall destroy the names of them out of that place.
BLB
And you⁺ shall break down their altars and smash their pillars, and their Asherah poles you⁺ shall burn with the fire, and the carved images of their gods you⁺ shall cut down, and you⁺ shall destroy their names from that place.
ÅB
Dere skal rive ned deres altere og slå deres billedstøtter sønder, og deres Astartebilder skal dere brenne opp med ild, og de utskårne bilder av deres guder skal dere hugge i stykker og utslette deres navn fra det sted hvor de sto.
OTB
Riv ned deres altere, knus deres hellige steiner, brenn deres Asjera-påler i ilden, og hugg ned de utskårne bildene av deres guder, og utrydd deres navn fra disse stedene.
B1930
I skal rive ned deres altere og slå deres billedstøtter sønder, og deres Astarte-billeder skal I brenne op med ild, og de utskårne billeder av deres guder skal I hugge i stykker og utslette deres navn fra det sted hvor de stod.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Judges 2:2

    and 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?

    Read in context
  • Numbers 33:52

    you 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.

    Read in context
  • Zechariah 13:2

    And on that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will erase the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered. I will also remove the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 16:4

    Sorrows will multiply to those who chase other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood, or speak their names with my lips.

    Read in context
  • Exodus 23:13

    Pay close attention to everything I have said to you. You must not invoke the names of other gods; they must not be heard on your lips.

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 7:5

    Instead, this is what you are to do to them: tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their idols in the fire.

    Read in context
  • 2 Chronicles 19:3

    However, some good is found in you, for you have removed the Asherah poles from the land and have set your heart on seeking God.”

    Read in context
  • Hosea 2:17

    For I will remove from her lips the names of the Baals; no longer will their names be invoked.

    Read in context