God’s Word Translation
Numbers 33:52
52As you advance, force out all the people who live there. Get rid of all their stone and metal idols, and destroy all their places of worship.
Numbers 33:52 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:
- New International Version (NIV)drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish all their high places.
- English Standard Version (ESV)then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their figured stones and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places.
- New King James Version (NKJV)then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their engraved stones, destroy all their molded images, and demolish all their high places;
Context of Numbers 33:52
50The Lord said to Moses on the plains of Moab near the Jordan River across from Jericho, 51“Tell the Israelites, ‘You will be crossing the Jordan River and entering Canaan. As you advance, force out all the people who live there. Get rid of all their stone and metal idols, and destroy all their places of worship. 53Take possession of the land and live there, because I will give it to you for your own. 54Divide the land among your families by drawing lots. Give more land to larger families and less land to smaller ones. The land must be given to each family by drawing lots. Divide it among your ancestors’ tribes.
Read all of Numbers 33Numbers 33:52 word by word
וְה֨וֹרַשְׁתֶּ֜ם אֶת־כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֤י הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔ם וְאִ֨בַּדְתֶּ֔ם אֵ֖ת כָּל־מַשְׂכִּיֹּתָ֑ם וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־צַלְמֵ֤י מַסֵּֽכֹתָם֙ תְּאַבֵּ֔דוּ וְאֵ֥ת כָּל־בָּמֹתָ֖ם תַּשְׁמִֽידוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then ye shall drive outיָרַשׁyârash yârêsh · to possess: takeH3423
- all the inhabitantsיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- of the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- from beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- you, and destroyאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6
- all their picturesמַשְׂכִּיתmaώkîyth · figureH4906
- all their moltenמַסֵּכָהmassêkâh · molten metalH4541
- imagesצֶ֫לֶםtselem · imageH6754
- and quite pluck downשָׁמַדshâmad · to destroyH8045
- all their high placesבָּמָהbâmâh · high placeH1116
Cross-references for Numbers 33:52
- Exodus 23:24Never worship or serve their gods or follow their practices. Instead, you must destroy their gods and crush their sacred stones.
- Exodus 34:12Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you’re going. This will prove to be a trap to you.
- Deuteronomy 7:2When the Lord your God gives them to you and you defeat them, destroy every one of them because they have been claimed by the Lord. Don’t make any treaties with them or show them any mercy.
- Deuteronomy 12:2Completely destroy all the worship sites on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every large tree. The people you’re forcing out worship their gods in these places.
- Deuteronomy 20:16However, you must not spare anyone’s life in the cities of these nations that the Lord your God is giving you as your property.
- Joshua 11:11They claimed everyone for the Lord by destroying them with swords. Not one person survived. Joshua also burned Hazor.
- Joshua 23:7Don’t get mixed up with the nations left in your territory. Don’t ever mention the names of their gods or swear an oath to them. Don’t ever serve their gods or bow down to them.
- Judges 2:2You must never make a treaty with the people who live in this land. You must tear down their altars.’ But you didn’t obey me. What do you think you’re doing?
Commentaries on Numbers 33:52
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 52Ye shall - destroy all their pictures - משכיתם maskiyotham, from שחה sachah, to be like, or resemble, either pictures, carved work, or embroidery, as far as these things were employed to exhibit the abominations of idolatry. Molten images מסכתם צלמי tsalmey massechotham, metallic talismanical figures, made under certain constellations, and supposed in consequence to be possessed of some extraordinary influences and virtues.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 50-56Verses 50-56 The expulsion of the Canaanites and the destruction of their monuments of idolatry had been already enjoined (see the marginal references); and Numbers 33:54 is substantially a repetition from Numbers 33:55-56 is new. A call for it had been furnished by their past transgressions in the matter of Baal-peor, and by their imperfect fulfillment, at the first, of Moses‘ orders in the Midianite war.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 50-56Verses 50-56 Now that they were to pass over Jordan, they were entering again into temptation to follow idols; and they are threatened that, if they spared either the idols or the idolaters, their sin would certainly be their punishment. They would foster vipers in their own bosoms. The remnant of the Canaanites, if they made any peace with them, though but for a time, would be pricks in their eyes, and thorns in their sides. We must expect trouble and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 50-56After the Israelites arrived at the plains of Moab, across from Jericho (22:1), they camped there. They remained in that place for the rest of the events recorded in Numbers (see 36:13; Deuteronomy 34:8). While they camped there, God gave Israel specific instructions on how to deal with the people of Canaan. The Lord commanded them to destroy the people groups living in Canaan and remove all traces of their religious practices (compare Exodus 23:23–33…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 50-5350-53. ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you--not, however, by expulsion, but extermination (De 7:1). and destroy all their pictures--obelisks for idolatrous worship (see on Le 26:1). and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places--by metonymy for all their groves and altars, and materials of worship on the tops of hills.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 33:52
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 33
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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