Exodus 34:12

12 Be careful for yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you are going, lest it be a snare among you.

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, "Look, I [am about to] make a covenant. In front of all your people I will do wonders that have not been created on all the earth and among all the nations, and all the people among whom you [are] will see Yahweh's work, because what I [am about to] do with you [will be] awesome.

11 "Keep for yourself what I myself have commanded you today. Look, I [am about to] drive from before you the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.

12 Be careful for yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you are going, lest it be a snare among you.

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,