Exodus 34 12

Exodus 34:12 kjv

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 nkjv

Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst.

Exodus 34:12 niv

Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you.

Exodus 34:12 esv

Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in your midst.

Exodus 34:12 nlt

"Be very careful never to make a treaty with the people who live in the land where you are going. If you do, you will follow their evil ways and be trapped.

Exodus 34 verses

Exodus 34 12 Meaning

Exodus 34:12 serves as a stringent warning given by God to the Israelites, specifically Moses, to be exceedingly cautious and avoid entering into any covenant or treaty with the native inhabitants of the land they were about to enter—Canaan. This command was crucial to prevent their religious practices and lifestyle from becoming a spiritual trap or stumbling block for Israel, leading them into idolatry and turning away from Yahweh, the one true God. The verse underscores the imperative for separation and the dangers of syncretism.

Exodus 34 12 Context

Exodus 34 takes place immediately after the profound crisis of the Golden Calf incident. Moses has just interceded for Israel, broken the first set of tablets, and now stands on Mount Sinai again to receive a second set. This chapter marks a renewal of the covenant between God and Israel, where God graciously reaffirms His attributes (mercy, grace, slowness to anger, steadfast love) while also reissuing the laws. The immediate preceding verses (Exod 34:10-11) highlight God's promise to perform wonders before them and to drive out the inhabitants of the land. Therefore, the warning in verse 12 is given as a direct condition for Israel's success and spiritual integrity in the promised land, emphasizing that while God will drive out the nations, Israel must actively avoid compromise with those that remain. It directly follows commands against making treaties with the foreign inhabitants and commands the tearing down of their altars (Exod 34:13).

Exodus 34 12 Word Analysis

• Take heed to thyself (שְׁמָר־לְךָ – sh'mar-leḵā):

  • שָׁמַר (shamar): To guard, keep, watch, observe carefully, preserve, beware. It signifies diligent, proactive caution.
  • לְךָ (lekha): A reflexive dative, emphasizing "to yourself" or "for your own sake." It highlights personal responsibility and the self-destructive nature of failing to heed the warning.
  • Significance: It's an urgent, direct personal command, not just a general guideline, indicating the severity of the danger.

• lest thou make a covenant (פֶן־תִּכְרֹת בְּרִית – pen-tikhrot b'rit):

  • פֶן (pen): A strong negative conjunction, meaning "lest" or "so that not," expressing fear or warning against something undesirable.
  • כָּרַת בְּרִית (karat berit): Literally "to cut a covenant." The Hebrew idiom for making a treaty, referring to the ancient practice of cutting animals in two, symbolizing the binding nature of the agreement.
  • בְּרִית (berit): Covenant, pact, treaty, alliance. In this context, it refers to political or social treaties that would naturally lead to shared life and religious syncretism.
  • Significance: The prohibition is not just against idol worship itself, but against the relational entry point that leads to it—making alliances.

• with the inhabitants of the land (עִם־יֹושֵׁב הָאָרֶץ – ʿim-yōšēḇ hāʾāreṣ):

  • יֹושֵׁב (yoshev): Dwellers, inhabitants. Refers specifically to the Canaanite peoples and tribes already dwelling in the land God promised to Israel.
  • הָאָרֶץ (ha'aretz): The land, specifically Canaan, the promised land.
  • Significance: Identifies the specific dangerous entities whose very presence and practices threatened Israel's holiness. These were not just any foreigners but peoples deeply embedded in idolatrous practices such as child sacrifice and cultic prostitution, antithetical to Yahweh worship.

• whither thou goest (אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה בָּא־שָׁמָּה – ʾašer ʾattah baʾ-šammāh):

  • בָּא (ba): To come, go, enter.
  • שָׁמָּה (shammah): Thither, there, to that place.
  • Significance: Emphasizes the imminence of the entry into the land, highlighting the immediate practical danger they faced upon arrival.

• lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee (פֶּן־יִהְיֶה לְמוֹקֵשׁ בְּקִרְבֶּךָ – pen-yihyeh l'môqēš b'qirbeḵā):

  • פֶּן (pen): Again, "lest," warning against an outcome.
  • מוֹקֵשׁ (môqēš): Snare, trap, entanglement, stumbling block. Often used for actual bird or animal traps. Figuratively, it denotes something that brings ruin, spiritual danger, or leads to downfall.
  • בְּקִרְבֶּךָ (b'qirbekha): In thy midst, within you (referring to the community of Israel).
  • Significance: A covenant with pagans would not remain external but would integrate into the heart of Israelite society, leading to internal corruption, compromise, and apostasy. The "snare" specifically implies hidden danger that catches one unawares and holds them captive.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant": This phrase links personal vigilance directly to avoiding foreign treaties. It highlights that God holds each individual and the community responsible for actively preventing such spiritual compromise. The burden is on Israel to maintain the separation.

• "with the inhabitants of the land...lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee": This passage vividly connects the identity of the people they are to avoid (the Canaanites) with the negative consequence (a snare) and its location (within Israel's own community). It paints a clear picture of internal corruption resulting from external alliances. The primary danger of the "snare" was adopting the gods and practices of the land, undermining Israel's unique identity as Yahweh's covenant people.

Exodus 34 12 Bonus section

The emphasis on not making a covenant serves as a profound biblical principle for believers even today: the necessity of separation from worldly systems and spiritual compromises that can entangle one in sin. While Christians are not commanded to literally exterminate people, the principle of spiritual vigilance and avoiding alliances that compromise faith or lead to sin remains critically relevant. This Old Testament command prefigures New Testament teachings on "not being unequally yoked" (2 Cor 6:14-18) and being "in the world but not of the world" (Jn 17:15-16), underscoring that our closest relationships and associations should align with our faith in the true God to avoid being drawn into spiritual traps.

Exodus 34 12 Commentary

Exodus 34:12 stands as a foundational command regarding Israel's unique and holy relationship with Yahweh. This prohibition against covenanting with the inhabitants of Canaan is not merely a geopolitical strategy but a profound theological declaration about spiritual purity and exclusivism in worship. God had chosen Israel as a distinct people, separated for His purposes, and central to this separation was their singular allegiance to Him. Making a treaty, political or otherwise, with idol-worshipping nations was viewed as opening the door to religious syncretism.

The "snare" refers directly to the temptation of idolatry, intermarriage (explicitly mentioned in subsequent verses, 34:15-16), and adopting pagan customs and practices. These practices, such as child sacrifice, cultic prostitution, and polytheistic worship, were abominable to the Lord and directly contrary to the moral and spiritual fabric God was establishing for Israel. This command protected Israel's theological integrity and ethical purity, preserving their identity as the light to the nations and the people through whom the Messiah would come. This divine directive set a clear boundary: Yahweh is the sole God of Israel, and no compromise with other deities or their worshippers would be tolerated, as it would lead to Israel becoming indistinguishable from the very nations they were meant to replace or convert. It emphasizes that physical proximity did not necessitate spiritual or cultural assimilation.