Deuteronomy 12:2

Deuteronomy 12:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:
• New International Version (NIV)Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains, on the hills and under every spreading tree, where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods.
• English Standard Version (ESV)You shall surely destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.
• New King James Version (NKJV)You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.

Context of Deuteronomy 12:2

1These are the statutes and ordinances you must be careful to follow all the days you live in the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess. Destroy completely all the places where the nations you are dispossessing have served their gods—atop the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree. 3Tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, burn up their Asherah poles, cut down the idols of their gods, and wipe out their names from every place. 4You shall not worship the LORD your God in this way.

Deuteronomy 12:2 word by word

אַבֵּ֣ד תְּ֠אַבְּדוּן אֶֽת־כָּל־הַמְּקֹמ֞וֹת אֲשֶׁ֧ר עָֽבְדוּ־שָׁ֣ם הַגּוֹיִ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֛ם יֹרְשִׁ֥ים אֹתָ֖ם אֶת־אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם עַל־הֶהָרִ֤ים הָֽרָמִים֙ וְעַל־הַגְּבָע֔וֹת וְתַ֖חַת כָּל־עֵ֥ץ רַעֲנָן׃Read the interlinear

• Destroy completelyאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the placesמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• whereאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• youאַתֶּם'attâh 'attâ 'ath 'attîy 'attem 'atten 'attênâh 'attênnâh · you(m.p.)H859
• are dispossessingיָרַשׁyârash yârêsh · to possess: takeH3423
• have servedעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
• have servedשָׁםshâm · thereH8033
• their godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• atopעַל‛al · uponH5921
• the highרוּםrûm · to exaltH7311
• mountainsהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
• the hillsגִּבְעָהgib‛âh · hillH1389
• and underתַּחַתtachath · underneath: underH8478
• greenרַעֲנָןra‛ănân · luxuriantH7488
• treeעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 12:2

• Deuteronomy 7:5Instead, this is what you are to do to them: tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their idols in the fire.
• Exodus 23:24You must not bow down to their gods or serve them or follow their practices. Instead, you are to demolish them and smash their sacred stones to pieces.
• Exodus 34:12Be careful not to make a treaty with the inhabitants of the land you are entering, lest they become a snare in your midst.
• Numbers 33:51“Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
• Judges 2:2and you are not to make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall tear down their altars.’ Yet you have not obeyed My voice. What is this you have done?
• Numbers 22:41The next morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the outskirts of the camp of the people.
• 2 Kings 16:4And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
• 2 Kings 17:10They set up for themselves sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.
• 2 Kings 23:13The king also desecrated the high places east of Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of Corruption, which King Solomon of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
• Jeremiah 3:6Now in the days of King Josiah, the LORD said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every green tree to prostitute herself there.
• Ezekiel 20:28When I brought them into the land that I swore to give them and they saw any high hill or leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, presented offerings that provoked Me, sent up their fragrant incense, and poured out their drink offerings.
• Hosea 4:13They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant. And so your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 12:2

• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2green tree: The Canaanites used groups of trees as places for worship. They chose these trees because their green leaves showed fertility and life. Sometimes the trees were made into wooden poles set in the ground. These poles were used to honor the mother goddess, Asherah (see 7:5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods--This divine command was founded on the tendencies of human nature; for to remove out of sight everything that had been associated with idolatry, that it might never be spoken of and no vestige of it remain, was the only effectual way to keep the Israelites from temptations to it. It is observable that Moses does not make any mention of temples, for…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 12:2

• Iconoclasm
• Mountain

In the dictionaries

• High place
• Idolatry
• Lust
• Rest
• Atonement, Day of
• Color; Colors
• Criticism
• Deuteronomy
• Elijah
• Exodus, the Book of

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings