The Meaning of Numbers 33:52 Explained

Numbers 33:52

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:

YLT: then ye have dispossessed all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and have destroyed all their imagery, yea, all their molten images ye destroy, and all their high places ye lay waste,

Darby: then ye shall dispossess all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and ye shall destroy all their figured images, and all their molten images shall ye destroy, and all their high places shall ye lay waste;

ASV: then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured'stones , and destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Numbers 33:52 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 33:38-56 - No Compromise With Idolatry
Aaron's death must have been deeply felt by his brother Moses. During the great crisis of Hebrew history they had been so closely associated that the wrench must have been very considerable. In addition, there was the recollection of the sin which had excluded the two brothers from Canaan. In the Epistle to the Hebrews the death of Aaron is recorded to set forth the eternal priesthood of Christ, Hebrews 7:17. Our High Priest has no successor; His office cannot be passed to another. It is not after Aaron, but Melchizedek.
The last paragraph, Numbers 33:50-56, is especially impressive. There must be no complicity with evil; for if there be, it will eat out the very heart of our character and happiness. It is much better to root out evil with a strong hand than to suffer it in any form, for, like the boomerang of the savage, our sinful permissions will come back on ourselves. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 33

1  The forty-two journeys of the Israelites
50  The Canaanites are to be destroyed

What do the individual words in Numbers 33:52 mean?

then you shall drive out - all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy - their engraved stones and images their molded destroy their high places demolish
וְה֨וֹרַשְׁתֶּ֜ם אֶת־ כָּל־ יֹשְׁבֵ֤י הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔ם וְאִ֨בַּדְתֶּ֔ם אֵ֖ת מַשְׂכִּיֹּתָ֑ם וְאֵ֨ת צַלְמֵ֤י מַסֵּֽכֹתָם֙ תְּאַבֵּ֔דוּ בָּמֹתָ֖ם תַּשְׁמִֽידוּ

וְה֨וֹרַשְׁתֶּ֜ם  then  you  shall  drive  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יֹשְׁבֵ֤י  the  inhabitants 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
הָאָ֙רֶץ֙  of  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔ם  from  before  you 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
וְאִ֨בַּדְתֶּ֔ם  and  destroy 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
אֵ֖ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מַשְׂכִּיֹּתָ֑ם  their  engraved  stones 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מַשְׂכִּית  
Sense: show-piece, figure, imagination, image, idol, picture.
צַלְמֵ֤י  images 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: צֶלֶם 
Sense: image.
מַסֵּֽכֹתָם֙  their  molded 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מַסֵּכָה 
Sense: a pouring, libation, molten metal, cast image, drink offering.
תְּאַבֵּ֔דוּ  destroy 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
בָּמֹתָ֖ם  their  high  places 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּמָה  
Sense: high place, ridge, height, bamah (technical name for cultic platform).
תַּשְׁמִֽידוּ  demolish 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַד  
Sense: to destroy, exterminate, be destroyed, be exterminated.