Back to Deuteronomy 16

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.

World English Bible · Public Domain

Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    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.

  • KJV King James Version

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

  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

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

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Examined in Scripture Analysis

Commandments (1)

The laws of the Torah, each cited and shown as a primary source.

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Cross-references (8)

Passages linked to Deuteronomy 16:21 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.

  • 2 Chronicles 33:3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he raised up altars for the Baals, made Asheroth, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served them.
  • 2 Kings 17:16 They abandoned all the commandments of Yahweh their God, and made molten images for themselves, even two calves, and made an Asherah, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served Baal.
  • Exodus 34:13 but you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and you shall cut down their Asherah poles;
  • 2 Kings 21:3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he raised up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel did, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served them.
  • Judges 3:7 The children of Israel did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and forgot Yahweh their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth.
  • 1 Kings 14:15 For Yahweh will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and he will root up Israel out of this good land which he gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the River, because they have made their Asherah poles, provoking Yahweh to anger.
  • 1 Kings 16:33 Ahab made the Asherah; and Ahab did more yet to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
  • 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.

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

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Explain this verse (15 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Because this was the practice of idolaters, 1Ki 15:13,…

Because this was the practice of idolaters, 1Ki 15:13, and might be an occasion of reviving idolatry. See Jdg 3:7; 1Ki 14:23; 1Ki 16:33; 18:19.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Neither shalt thou set up any image,.... Graven or…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Thou shalt not plant - Because this was the…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 21. Thou shalt not plant thee a grove,…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Deu 16:21. Thou shalt not plant thee a grove…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Tree. The pagans had consecrated different sorts of trees…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain Thou shalt not plant thee a grove--A grove has…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 21. Thou shalt not plant thee a grove… near…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain Deu_16:21-22. Against the Use of ’Asherim and Maṣṣeboth
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (21) Thou shalt not plant thee a grove.—Heb., ashêrah,…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Vers. 21, 22. In all states, the highest crime…
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain Thou shalt not plant thee a grove.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain The groves (Heb. Asherim) so often mentioned in the…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 You must not
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 16:21-22 Asherah pole . . . sacred pillars: See…

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