THEOSISWlastow G.K.
A zealous God. In Scripture, both the people of Israel and the church of the Lord are frequently depicted as the bride of the Lord. Thus, the God of the covenant is referred to as the bridegroom and the jealous God, who, out of His deep love for the church, desires its purity and cannot permit it to follow after other deities and detestable practices. It is noteworthy that in verse 13, the Hebrew term for grove, asherah, differs from the term used in Genesis 21:33, where it states, “And Abraham planted a grove by Bathsheba.” In Genesis, the grove is identified as an eshel. It is reasonable to consider that the term asherah refers to a wooden pole erected in groves as an offering to Astarte, similar to how a stone pillar was raised in homage to Baal. In 2 Samuel 14:23, we read that the men of the kingdom of Judah installed an asherah beneath a large shady tree.