“burn the carved images of their gods.” Most idols and images of gods were made from wood or stone and could be burned in a fire. Much of the stone in Israel is limestone and is reduced to powder when it is heated very hot, and also the ancients used to take the harder stone such as basalt or granite and heat it up, and then pour water on it to break it up.

[For more on what God said about idols, see commentary on Deuteronomy 7:5.]