Exodus 34:12

12 Beware, lest any time thou join friendships with the dwellers of that land, which friendships (shall) be into falling to 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 The Lord answered, I shall make (a) covenant, and in (the) sight of all men I shall make signs, that were never seen (before) on [the] earth, neither in any folks (nor in any nation), (so) that this people, in whose midst thou art, see the fearedful work of the Lord, that I shall make (for thee).

11 Keep thou all things, which I command to thee today (Obey thou everything which I command to thee today); I myself shall cast out before thy face (the) Amorites, and Canaanites, and Hittites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites.

12 Beware, lest any time thou join friendships with the dwellers of that land, which friendships (shall) be into falling to thee.

13 But also destroy thou their altars, break the images, and cut thou down their [maumet] woods; (And also destroy thou their altars, and break in pieces their images, and cut thou down their idol woods, or their sacred poles;)

14 do not thou worship an alien God; a jealous lover is the Lord's name, God is a fervent lover; (do not thou worship any foreign, or any other, god; for the Lord's name is Jealous, and he is a jealous God;)