Mere separation from the gods of foreign tribes was not enough to ensure purity. To truly rid the land of the idolatrous force and ensure the exclusive worship of Israel’s god, neighboring tribes had to be eradicated. “Anyone who sacrifices to any god but Yahweh shall be utterly destroyed” (Exod. 22:20). Yet even that was not enough to contain the virus. The enemy’s land, livestock, farms and fields, gold and silver had also to be destroyed, “lest they make you sin against me,” says the Lord (Exod. 23:33).
