Exodus 34:15

15 lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they prostitute [themselves] after their gods, and they sacrifice to their gods, and they invite you, and you eat their sacrifice,

Exodus 34:15 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 34:15

Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the
land
A marriage covenant, taking their daughters in marriage to their sons, and "vice versa", as the following words show; here the caution is to be understood and the words supplied from ( Exodus 34:12 ) and inserted and connected thus, "take heed to thyself, lest thou make"

and they go a whoring after their gods;
that is, the inhabitants of the land, and particularly those with whom the Israelites made a covenant, and entered into a marriage relation with, and perhaps on this condition, that they would abstain from idolatry; and yet, contrary to the obligation they laid themselves under, lust after their idols, and commit spiritual fornication or adultery with them, which is explained by the next clause:

and do sacrifice unto their gods;
such as the first institutors of their idolatry enjoined, and their ancestors had observed, and were according to the rites and customs of the country:

and [one] call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;
invite to eat of what remained, that was offered to the idol: hence it appears, that having feasts at sacrifices, and eating things offered to idols in a festival way, are very ancient practices; see ( 1 Corinthians 10:27 1 Corinthians 10:28 ) .

Exodus 34:15 In-Context

13 Rather, you will tear down their altars, and you will break their stone pillars, and you will cut off their Asherah poles.
14 For you will not bow in worship to another god, for 'Yahweh [Is] Jealous' is his name, he [is] a jealous God,
15 lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they prostitute [themselves] after their gods, and they sacrifice to their gods, and they invite you, and you eat their sacrifice,
16 and you take from their daughters for your sons, and their daughters prostitute [themselves] after their gods, and they cause your sons to prostitute [themselves] after their gods.
17 You will not make gods of cast metal for yourself.
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.