Rather, you must tear down their altars, smash their sacred stones, and chop down their Asherah poles.
Reconciliation being made, a covenant of friendship is here settled between God and Israel. The traitors are not only pardoned, but preferred and made favourites again. Well may the assurances of this be ushered in with a behold, a word commanding attention and admiration: Behold, I make a covenant.
Commenting on Exodus 34:10-17
But ye shall destroy their altars,.... 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...
But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: (d) Which pleasant places they chose for their idols.