Deuteronomy 16:21-17:7

New International Reader's Version

Don’t Worship Other Gods

²¹ Don’t set up a wooden pole used to worship the female god named Asherah. Don’t set it up beside the altar you build to worship the Lord your God. ²² Don’t set up a sacred stone to honor another god. The Lord your God hates Asherah poles and sacred stones.

17 Suppose an ox or sheep has anything at all wrong with it. Then don’t sacrifice it to the Lord your God. He hates it.

² Someone living among you might do what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God. It might happen in one of the towns the Lord is giving you. That person is breaking the Lord’s covenant. ³ The person might have worshiped or bowed down to other gods. That person might have bowed down to the sun or moon or stars in the sky. I have commanded you not to do these things. ⁴ When you hear that people have done something like that, check the matter out carefully. If it’s true, an evil thing has been done in Israel. The Lord hates that. ⁵ So take the person who has done that evil thing to your city gate. Put that person to death by throwing stones at them. ⁶ Two or three witnesses are required to put someone to death. No one can be put to death because of what only one witness says. Two or three witnesses are required. ⁷ The witnesses must throw the first stones. Then the rest of the people must also throw stones. Get rid of that evil person.