Exodus 34:12

12 Stay vigilant. Don't let down your guard lest you make covenant with the people who live in the land that you are entering and they trip you up.

Exodus 34:12 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 34:12

Take heed to thyself
This is said not to Moses, but to the people of Israel, as a caution to them when they should enter the land of Canaan, and possess it:

lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither
thou goest:
enter into a league and alliance, to live friendly and amicably, and support and assist each other against the common enemy; whereas they were to smite the seven nations and destroy them, and show them no mercy, ( Deuteronomy 7:1 Deuteronomy 7:2 )

lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee;
be the means of drawing them into the same sinful practices with themselves, especially into idolatrous ones, and so of bringing ruin and destruction on them.

Exodus 34:12 In-Context

10 And God said, "As of right now, I'm making a covenant with you: In full sight of your people I will work wonders that have never been created in all the Earth, in any nation. Then all the people with whom you're living will see how tremendous God's work is, the work I'll do for you.

11 Take careful note of all I command you today. I'm clearing your way by driving out Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

12 Stay vigilant. Don't let down your guard lest you make covenant with the people who live in the land that you are entering and they trip you up.

13 "Tear down their altars, smash their phallic pillars, chop down their fertility poles.

14 Don't worship any other god. God - his name is The-Jealous-One - is a jealous God.