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Idolatry Forbidden

21 You must not plant for yourself an Asherah[a] of any trees near the altar of the Lord your God, which you make for yourself. 22 You shall not set up for yourself any image, which the Lord your God hates.

17 You must not sacrifice to the Lord your God any bull or sheep that has a blemish or any defect, for that is detestable to the Lord your God.

If there be found among you, within any of your gates which the Lord your God gives you, man or woman, who has acted wickedly in the sight of the Lord your God, by transgressing His covenant, and has gone and served other gods and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded, and if it is told to you, and you have heard of it, and investigated diligently, and it is true, and the matter is certain that such a detestable thing has happened in Israel, then you must bring forth that man or that woman who has committed that wicked thing to your gates, that very man or woman, and stone them with stones until they die. On the testimony of two or three witnesses he that is to die must be put to death, but on the testimony of one witness he cannot be put to death. The hands of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So you shall purge the evil from among you.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 16:21 Wooden symbol of a female deity.

21 (A)“You shall not plant for yourself any tree, as a [a]wooden image, near the altar which you build for yourself to the Lord your God. 22 (B)You shall not set up a sacred pillar, which the Lord your God hates.

Various Instructions

17 “You (C)shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God a bull or sheep which has any [b]blemish or defect, for that is an [c]abomination to the Lord your God.

(D)“If there is found among you, within any of your [d]gates which the Lord your God gives you, a man or a woman who has been wicked in the sight of the Lord your God, (E)in transgressing His covenant, who has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, either (F)the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven, (G)which I have not commanded, (H)and it is told you, and you hear of it, then you shall inquire diligently. And if it is indeed true and certain that such an [e]abomination has been committed in Israel, then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has committed that wicked thing, and (I)shall stone (J)to death that man or woman with stones. Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three (K)witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness. The hands of the witnesses shall be the first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So you shall put away the evil from among (L)you.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 16:21 Or Asherah
  2. Deuteronomy 17:1 Lit. evil thing
  3. Deuteronomy 17:1 detestable thing
  4. Deuteronomy 17:2 towns
  5. Deuteronomy 17:4 detestable thing