Deuteronomy 16:21

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Thou shalt not plant thee an Asherah of any kind of tree beside the altar of Jehovah thy God, which thou shalt make thee.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

לֹֽא־תִטַּ֥ע לְךָ֛ אֲשֵׁרָ֖ה כָּל־עֵ֑ץ אֵ֗צֶל מִזְבַּ֛ח יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ׃

Transliteration

lōʾ-tiṭṭaʿ ləkā ʾăšērâ kol-ʿēṣ ʾēṣel mizbaḥ YHWH ʾělōheykā ʾăšer taʿăśeh-lāk

Grammar Details

*lōʾ*-*tiṭṭaʿ*: negation + qal imperfect 2nd masculine singular - you shall not plant
*ləkā*: preposition with 2nd masculine singular suffix - for yourself
*ʾăšērâ*: feminine singular noun - Asherah pole
*kol*: construct - any
*ʿēṣ*: masculine singular noun - tree/wood
*ʾēṣel*: preposition - beside
*mizbaḥ*: masculine singular construct - altar of
*YHWH*: divine name
*ʾělōheykā*: masculine plural noun with 2nd masculine singular suffix - your God
*ʾăšer*: relative pronoun - which/that
*taʿăśeh*: qal imperfect 2nd masculine singular - you will make
*lāk*: preposition with 2nd masculine singular suffix - for yourself

Word Meanings

*tiṭṭaʿ*: plant/establish/set up
*ʾăšērâ*: Asherah pole/sacred pole/wooden cult object
*ʿēṣ*: tree/wood/timber
*ʾēṣel*: beside/near/by

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

🔄 Compare with

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

2 Kgs 17:16 : 16 And they forsook all the commandments of Jehovah their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.
2 Chr 33:3 : 3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he reared up altars for the Baalim, and made Asheroth, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
2 Kgs 21:3 : 3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, as did Ahab king of Israel, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
Exod 34:13 : 13 but ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and ye shall cut down their Asherim
1 Kgs 14:15 : 15 For Jehovah will smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and he will root up Israel out of this good land which he gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the River, because they have made their Asherim, provoking Jehovah to anger.
1 Kgs 16:33 : 33 And Ahab made the Asherah; and Ahab did yet more to provoke Jehovah, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
Deut 7:5 : 5 But thus shall ye deal with them: ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their graven images with fire.
Judg 3:7 : 7 And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and forgat Jehovah their God, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Deut 16:22
83%
22Neither shalt thou set thee up a pillar; which Jehovah thy God hateth.
Exod 34:13-15
3 verses
79%
13but ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and ye shall cut down their Asherim
14(for thou shalt worship no other god: for Jehovah, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God);
15lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they play the harlot after their gods, and sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee and thou eat of his sacrifice;
Deut 12:2-4
3 verses
78%
2Ye shall surely destroy all the places wherein the nations that ye shall dispossess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:
3and ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and burn their Asherim with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods; and ye shall destroy their name out of that place.
4Ye shall not do so unto Jehovah your God.
2 Kgs 17:10
77%
10and they set them up pillars and Asherim upon every high hill, and under every green tree;
Lev 26:1
76%
1Ye shall make you no idols, neither shall ye rear you up a graven image, or a pillar, neither shall ye place any figured stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am Jehovah your God.
Exod 34:17
75%
17Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.
1 Kgs 14:23
74%
23For they also built them high places, and pillars, and Asherim, on every high hill, and under every green tree;
Deut 6:14
74%
14Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples that are round about you;
Lev 18:21
73%
21And thou shalt not give any of thy seed to make them pass through [the fire] to Molech; neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am Jehovah.
Isa 17:8
73%
8And they shall not look to the altars, the work of their hands; neither shall they have respect to that which their fingers have made, either the Asherim, or the sun-images.
Deut 7:5
73%
5But thus shall ye deal with them: ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their graven images with fire.
Exod 20:3-4
2 verses
73%
3Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any likeness [of any thing] that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exod 20:25-26
2 verses
73%
25And if thou make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stones; for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
26Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered thereon.
Deut 5:7-8
2 verses
73%
7Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
8Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, [nor] any likeness [of anything] that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exod 30:1
73%
1And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of acacia wood shalt thou make it.
Deut 12:31
73%
31Thou shalt not do so unto Jehovah thy God: for every abomination to Jehovah, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters do they burn in the fire to their gods.
Mic 5:13-14
2 verses
73%
13and I will cut off thy graven images and thy pillars out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thy hands;
14and I will pluck up thine Asherim out of the midst of thee; and I will destroy thy cities.
Deut 27:5-6
2 verses
72%
5And there shalt thou build an altar unto Jehovah thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt lift up no iron [tool] upon them.
6Thou shalt build the altar of Jehovah thy God of unhewn stones; and thou shalt offer burnt-offerings thereon unto Jehovah thy God:
Jer 17:2
72%
2whilst their children remember their altars and their Asherim by the green trees upon the high hills.
Deut 22:9
72%
9Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest the whole fruit be forfeited, the seed which thou hast sown, and the increase of the vineyard.
Exod 23:32
72%
32Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
Deut 7:25-26
2 verses
72%
25The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein; for it is an abomination to Jehovah thy God.
26And thou shalt not bring an abomination into thy house, and become a devoted thing like unto it: thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a devoted thing.
Judg 6:26
72%
26and build an altar unto Jehovah thy God upon the top of this stronghold, in the orderly manner, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt-offering with the wood of the Asherah which thou shalt cut down.
Ps 81:9
72%
9There shall no strange god be in thee; Neither shalt thou worship any foreign god.
Deut 16:20
72%
20That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.
Deut 4:23
72%
23Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of Jehovah your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image in the form of anything which Jehovah thy God hath forbidden thee.
Exod 23:24
71%
24Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works; but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and break in pieces their pillars.
Exod 20:23
71%
23Ye shall not make [other gods] with me; gods of silver, or gods of gold, ye shall not make unto you.
Deut 20:18-19
2 verses
71%
18that they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so would ye sin against Jehovah your God.
19When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by wielding an axe against them; for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down; for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged of thee?
Deut 4:28
71%
28And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
Josh 23:7
71%
7that ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear [by them], neither serve them, nor bow down yourselves unto them;
Deut 17:1
71%
1Thou shalt not sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God an ox, or a sheep, wherein is a blemish, [or] anything evil; for that is an abomination unto Jehovah thy God.
Judg 2:2
71%
2and ye shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall break down their altars. But ye have not hearkened unto my voice: why have ye done this?
2 Kgs 23:15
71%
15Moreover the altar that was at Beth-el, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, even that altar and the high place he brake down; and he burned the high place and beat it to dust, and burned the Asherah.
Jer 11:17
71%
17For Jehovah of hosts, who planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have wrought for themselves in provoking me to anger by offering incense unto Baal.
Isa 1:29
70%
29For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.
2 Kgs 21:7
70%
7And he set the graven image of Asherah, that he had made, in the house of which Jehovah said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever;
Deut 18:9
70%
9When thou art come into the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
Josh 22:19
70%
19Howbeit, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of Jehovah, wherein Jehovah's tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against Jehovah, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar besides the altar of Jehovah our God.