Deuteronomy 16:21-17:7

International Standard Version

Prohibited Practices

²¹ “You are not to set up a sacred pole^[a] beside the altar of the Lord your God that you will build. ²² Furthermore, you are not to erect for yourselves a sacred stone pillar, because the Lord your God detests these things. 17 ¹ You are not to sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep that has a defect or any flaw in it, because that is detestable to the Lord your God.”

Death to the Idolater

² “You may discover that a man or woman living in one of your cities that the Lord your God is about to give you has done evil in the eyes of the Lord your God by transgressing his covenant. ³ He may be following and serving other gods by bowing down to them—that is, to the sun, the moon, or to any of the heavenly host^[b] (something I did not command). ⁴ When it is reported to you or you hear of it, you are to investigate it thoroughly. When the truth has been established that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, ⁵ summon the man or the woman who did this evil thing to your city gates, and then stone the man or the woman to death. ⁶ Based on the testimony^[c] of two or three witnesses, they must surely die, but they are not to die based on the testimony of one person. ⁷ Let the witnesses^[d] be the first to begin executing them, then the rest of^[e] the people are to follow. By doing this you will purge evil from among you.”