Exodus 34:13

“But ye shall destroy their altars, etc.] On which they had sacrificed to their idols; since, if they were allowed to continue, they might be temptations to offer sacrifice thereon, contrary to the command of God: break their images: of gold or silver, wood or stone, which they made for themselves, and worshipped as deities; seeing if these continued, the sight of them might lead to the worship of them, and so bring under the divine displeasure, as a breach of the command of God given them: and cut down their groves; which were clusters of trees, where they had their temples and their idols, and did service to them, and where, besides idolatry, many impurities were committed. Such places were…”

“The precepts contained in these verses are, for the most part, identical in substance with some of those which follow the Ten Commandments and are recorded in “the Book of the covenant” (Exo. 20–23; see Exodus 24:7). Exodus 34:13 Cut down their groves - This is the first reference to what is commonly known as grove-worship. The original word for “grove” in this connection אשׁרה 'ăshêrāh is different from that so rendered in Genesis 21:33. Our translators supposed that what the law commands is the destruction of groves dedicated to the worship of false deities Judges 6:25; 2 Kings 18:4; but inasmuch as the worship of asherah is found associated with that of Astarte, or Ashtoreth Judges…”

“34:13 Asherah was a Canaanite fertility goddess who would continue to be a temptation throughout Israel’s history (see, e.g., Judg 6:25; 1 Kgs 14:15; 2 Kgs 23:15). • The poles seem to have been fertility symbols.”

“ye shall: Exo 23:24; Deu 7:5, Deu 7:25, Deu 7:26, Deu 12:2, Deu 12:3; Jdg 2:2, Jdg 6:25; Kg2 18:4, Kg2 23:14; Ch2 31:1, Ch2 34:3, Ch2 34:4 images: Heb. statutes Exodus 34:14”