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.
You must tear down their altars, smash their sacred stone pillars, and burn their sacred wooden poles. Cut down the carved idols of their gods and completely wipe out their names from those places.
God is commanding the Israelites to completely destroy all traces of pagan worship in the Promised Land.
📚 Historical Context
In the historical context, the Israelites were preparing to enter the Promised Land, which was inhabited by Canaanite peoples who worshiped various false gods through altars, pillars, and sacred groves. God instructed them through Moses to destroy these symbols of pagan worship as part of His command to maintain purity and avoid adopting the idolatrous practices that could lead them astray from their covenant with Him. This directive was given to ensure the Israelites established a distinct identity as God's chosen people in the land He promised them.
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