Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 34:12
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:
12. Take heed to thyself ] Also a phrase common in Dt. (Deu 4:9; Deu 4:23, Deu 6:12 Heb., Deu 8:11 Heb., Deu 11:16 al.).
lest thou make, &c.] Cf. Exo 23:32.
a snare ] i.e. an allurement to ruin: cf. Exo 23:33 b with the note.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The precepts contained in these verses are, for the most part, identical in substance with some of those which follow the Ten Commandments and are recorded in the Book of the covenant (Exo. 2023; see Exo 24:7).
Exo 34:13
Cut down their groves – This is the first reference to what is commonly known as grove-worship. The original word for grove in this connection ‘asherah is different from that so rendered in Gen 21:33. Our translators supposed that what the law commands is the destruction of groves dedicated to the worship of false deities Jdg 6:25; 2Ki 18:4; but inasmuch as the worship of asherah is found associated with that of Astarte, or Ashtoreth Jdg 2:13; Jdg 10:6; 1Sa 7:4, it seems probable that while Astarte was the personal name of the goddess, the asherah was a symbol of her, probably in some one of her characters, made in wood in some conventional form.
Exo 34:15-16
An expansion of Exo 34:12. The unfaithfulness of the nation to its covenant with Yahweh is here for the first time spoken of as a breach of the marriage bond. The metaphor is, in any case, a natural one, but it seems to gain point, if we suppose it to convey an allusion to the abominations connected with pagan worship, such as are spoken of in Num 25:1-3.
Exo 34:21
See Exo 20:9; Exo 23:12. There is here added to the commandment a particular caution respecting those times of year when the land calls for most labor. The old verb to ear (i. e. to plow) is genuine English.
Exo 34:24
Neither shall any man desire etc. – Intended to encourage such as might fear the consequences of obeying the divine law in attending to their religious duties. Compare Pro 16:7.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
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, De 7:1
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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(12) A snare.Comp. Exo. 23:33; and for the nature of the snare, see Exo. 34:15-16 of the present chapter.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
(12-16) This passage may be compared with Exo. 23:24-25; Exo. 23:32-33. It repeats, with some enlargements, the enactments there made, and traces in detail the evil consequences which would follow from a neglect of the enactments.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
12-26. Take heed to thyself Here follows a brief resume of the laws previously ordained, and written in the Book of the Covenant, 21-23 . They may be resolved into ten precepts, as follows:
1. Thou shalt make no covenant with the heathen. Exo 34:12.
2. Thou shalt destroy their altars and images. Exo 34:18.
3. Thou shalt worship no other god save Jehovah. Exo 34:14.
4. Thou shalt make no molten gods. Exo 34:17.
5. Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread. Exo 34:18.
6. Thou shalt redeem all the firstborn. Exo 34:19-20.
7. Thou shalt keep the sabbath day. Exo 34:21.
8. Thou shalt observe the three annual feasts. Exo 34:22-23.
9. Thou shalt not offer sacrifice with leaven. Exo 34:25.
10. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother’s milk. Exo 34:26.
We should lay no stress upon this division into ten commandments; for it is possible, by making separate precepts of the firstfruits, (Exo 34:26,) and the not appearing empty (Exo 34:20,) to make more than ten; or by combining several very kindred laws to reduce the number to seven or eight. In no case should this recapitulation of laws be identified with the ten commandments mentioned in Exo 34:28, for these were identical with those in the first tables. Exo 34:1.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
A Warning Against Making Any Covenant With the Canaanites And The Need To Destroy Their Idols Because of the Awful Consequences of Idolatry and Because Yahweh is Named ‘Jealous’ and Is A Jealous God ( Exo 34:12-16 ).
Exo 34:12-14
“Take heed to yourself lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be for a snare among you. But you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and you will cut down their Asherah images, because you shall not worship any other god, for Yahweh whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”
Conscious of their predilections and how they have failed in the past the main command here is that they should not to enter into covenant relationship with any in the land as depicted by the six previously mentioned groups, that is with Canaanites in the wider sense, those who follow Baalism. The alternative to making a covenant with them is to destroy or displace them, and this is emphasised by the command to destroy their gods, which no nation would allow unless utterly defeated. It should be noted that the command about gods here is a negative one even if it has a positive reason. It is not a direct command not to worship other gods, but a command to destroy them when they conquer the land because they are to worship none but Yahweh, and because they could be a snare to them. The picture of idolatry and sin as a subtle snare is common in Scripture.
Note the emphasis on how surely they must avoid idolatry by vigorously destroying all trace of it. They are to destroy their altars, dash in pieces the pillars that represent Baal, and cut down their wooden Asherah images. It is not enough to turn from sin. They must destroy all traces of it. We see here a forceful explanation and wise guidance concerning their practical and ritual behaviour once they enter the land.
Exo 34:15-16
“Lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they go a-whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice to their gods, and one call you and you eat of his sacrifice. And you take of their daughters to your sons, and their daughters go a-whoring after their gods, and make your sons go a-whoring after their gods.”
The theme continues. God’s concern is that they might make treaties with the inhabitants of the land so that they become neighbours, and then get caught up in their idolatry, either by eating of their sacrifices, and thus participating in their orgies, or by the sons of Israelites marrying Canaanite women and being caught up in their idolatrous and sexually perverted practises (which is precisely what did happen). The only way they can remain pure is by driving the idolaters from the land.
“ Go a-whoring.” The Canaanite religion was debased and encouraged sexual impropriety. But the words also contain the thought of being unfaithful to the One to Whom they should be looking. To seek other gods was to behave like a whore.
There is nothing in all this that can be thought of as one or more ‘ten words’ or be compared with ‘the ten words’ spoken of implicitly in Exo 34:1; Exo 34:28. This is a command not to fraternise with the Canaanites nor to allow them to remain in the land, not a commandment or commandments with universal significance.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The same precepts are of everlasting obligation, in all ages of the Church, 2Co 6:14-18 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 34:12 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:
Ver. 12. With the inhabitants. ] They were devoted to destruction, as having filled the land from one end to another with their uncleanness. Ezr 9:11
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
it = they.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Take heed: Exo 23:32, Exo 23:33, Deu 7:2, Jdg 2:2
lest: Deu 7:16, Jos 23:12, Jos 23:13, Jdg 2:3, Jdg 8:27, Psa 106:36
Reciprocal: Exo 19:12 – Take Exo 34:15 – make Num 33:52 – General Deu 12:2 – utterly Deu 31:5 – according Jos 9:7 – how shall Jos 10:40 – as the Lord Jdg 14:3 – uncircumcised Jdg 21:1 – his daughter 1Ki 9:20 – Amorites 2Ki 17:35 – charged them Ezr 10:2 – We have trespassed Luk 17:3 – heed
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 34:12. Take heed to thyself It is a sin thou art prone to, and that will easily beset thee; carefully abstain from all advances toward it; make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land If God, in kindness to them, drove out the Canaanites, they ought, in duty to God, not to harbour them: If they espoused their children, they would be in danger of espousing their gods. That they might not be tempted to make molten gods, they must utterly destroy those they found, and all that belonged to them, the altars and groves, lest, if they were left standing, they should be brought in process of time either to use them, or to take pattern by them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
34:12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a {c} snare in the midst of thee:
(c) If you follow their wickedness, and pollute yourself with their idolatry.