¹² Don't make treaties with any of those people. If you do, it will be like falling into a trap.

^13 (A) Instead, you must destroy their altars and tear down the sacred poles^[a] they use in the worship of the goddess Asherah.

² the Lord will force them out of the land. Then you must destroy them without mercy. Don't make any peace treaties with them, ³ and don't let your sons and daughters marry any of them. ⁴ If you do, those people will lead your descendants to worship other gods and to turn their backs on the Lord. That will make him very angry, and he will quickly destroy Israel.

^5 (A) So when you conquer these nations, tear down the altars where they worship their gods. Break up their sacred stones, cut down the poles that they use in worshiping the goddess Asherah, and throw their idols in the fire.