New King James Version
Numbers 33:52
52then 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;
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 Living Translation (NLT)you must drive out all the people living there. You must destroy all their carved and molten images and demolish all their pagan shrines.
Context of Numbers 33:52
50Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho, saying, 51“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you have crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 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; 53you shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land and dwell in it, for I have given you the land to possess. 54And you shall divide the land by lot as an inheritance among your families; to the larger you shall give a larger inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give a smaller inheritance; there everyone’s inheritance shall be whatever falls to him by lot. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers.
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 23:24You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars.
- Exodus 34:12Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst.
- Deuteronomy 7:2and when the Lord your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them.
- Deuteronomy 12:2You 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.
- Deuteronomy 20:16“But of the cities of these peoples which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance, you shall let nothing that breathes remain alive,
- Joshua 11:11And they struck all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them. There was none left breathing. Then he burned Hazor with fire.
- Joshua 23:7and lest you go among these nations, these who remain among you. You shall not make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them; you shall not serve them nor bow down to them,
- Judges 2:2And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this?
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries