Exodus 23:32

32 Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods.

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Exodus 23:32 in Other Translations

KJV

32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.

ESV

32 You shall make no covenant with them and their gods.

NLT

32 “Make no treaties with them or their gods.

MSG

32 "Don't make any deals with them or their gods.

CSB

32 You must not make a covenant with them or their gods.

Exodus 23:32 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 23:32

Thou shalt make no covenant with them
A covenant of peace, a league, a confederacy, so as to take them to be their allies and friends; but they were always to consider them as their enemies, until they had made an utter end of them; though the Gibeonites by craft and guile obtained a league of them; but the methods they took to get it show they had some knowledge of this law, that the Israelites might not, or at least would not, make any league or covenant with the inhabitants of the land of Canaan. This may be also extended to marriage covenants, which they were forbid to make with them; which yet they did, and proved a snare to them, for this brought them to makes a covenant with their gods, and serve them, which is here also forbidden:

nor with their gods;
making vows unto them, promising to serve them, if they would do such and such things for them.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Exodus 23:32 In-Context

30 Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.

31 “I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the desert to the Euphrates River. I will give into your hands the people who live in the land, and you will drive them out before you.

32 Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods.

33 Do not let them live in your land or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you.”