Deuteronomy 16:21 Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole beside the altar you build to the LORD your God,

◄ Deuteronomy 16:21 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole beside the altar you build to the LORD your God,

English Standard Version
“You shall not plant any tree as an Asherah beside the altar of the LORD your God that you shall make.

New American Standard Bible
"You shall not plant for yourself an Asherah of any kind of tree beside the altar of the LORD your God, which you shall make for yourself.

King James Bible
Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Do not set up an Asherah of any kind of wood next to the altar you will build for the LORD your God,

International Standard Version
"You are not to set up a sacred pole beside the altar of the LORD your God that you will build.

American Standard Version
Thou shalt not plant thee an Asherah of any kind of tree beside the altar of Jehovah thy God, which thou shalt make thee.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou shalt plant no grove, nor any tree near the altar of the Lord thy God:

Darby Bible Translation
Thou shalt not plant thyself an Asherah of any wood near unto the altar of Jehovah thy God, which thou shalt make thee.

Young's Literal Translation
'Thou dost not plant for thee a shrine of any trees near the altar of Jehovah thy God, which thou makest for thyself,

Cross References

Exodus 34:13
But you shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:

Leviticus 26:1
You shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither raise you up a standing image, neither shall you set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down to it: for I am the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 7:5
But thus shall you deal with them; you shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.

2 Kings 17:16
And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.

2 Kings 21:3
For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

2 Kings 21:7
And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:

2 Chronicles 33:3
For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

16:18-22 Care is taken for the due administration of justice. All personal regards must be laid aside, so that right is done to all, and wrong to none. Care is taken to prevent following the idolatrous customs of the heathen. Nothing belies God more, or tends more to corrupt the minds of men, than representing and worshipping, by an image, that God, who is an almighty and eternal Spirit, present every where. Alas! even in gospel days, and under a better dispensation, established upon better promises, there is a tendency to set up idols, under one form or another, in the human heart.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

21. Thou shalt not plant thee a grove—A grove has in Scripture a variety of significations—a group of overshadowing trees, or a grove adorned with altars dedicated to a particular deity, or a wooden image in a grove (Jud 6:25; 2Ki 23:4-6). They might be placed near the earthen and temporary altars erected in the wilderness, but they could not exist either at the tabernacle or temples. They were places, which, with their usual accompaniments, presented strong allurements to idolatry; and therefore the Israelites were prohibited from planting them.