Exodus 34:12

12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee.

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 He said, "Behold, I make a covenant. Before all thy people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom thou art shall see the work of the LORD, for it is a fearsome thing that I will do with thee.

11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day. Behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite and the Canaanite, and the Hittite and the Perizzite, and the Hivite and the Jebusite.

12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee.

13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their Asherah poles.

14 For thou shalt worship no other god; for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God,