52 You must drive away all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their carvings of stone+ and all their metal statues,*+ and you should demolish all their sacred high places.+

55 “‘If, though, you do not drive the inhabitants of the land away from before you,+ those whom you allow to remain will be as irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they will harass you in the land where you will dwell.+