You shall tear down their altars, smash their pillars, burn their asherim with fire, cut down the graven images of their gods, and destroy their name from that place.
English: “You shall tear down” — Rav Yosef taught: “You shall tear down their altars and leave them, smash their pillars and leave them” — would you think one may simply leave them? Burning is required! Rav Huna said: Pursue [the enemy] and afterward burn. From here [we learn] that cutting down idolatry precedes the conquest of Eretz Yisrael, and the conquest of Eretz Yisrael precedes the final eradication of idolatry.
On the daf / in context: The order of obligations is established: first neutralize the idols (giddúah), then complete the conquest, then fully eradicate remaining idolatry.
Type of Learning
Derash on the verse (Sifrei / Bavli) — sequencing the destruction of idolatry relative to conquest.
What Is Learned
Cutting down idolatry takes precedence over completing the conquest; full eradication follows after the Land is secured.