The Meaning of Exodus 23:33 Explained

Exodus 23:33

KJV: They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.

YLT: they do not dwell in thy land, lest they cause thee to sin against Me when thou servest their gods, when it becometh a snare to thee.'

Darby: They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me; for if thou serve their gods, it is sure to be a snare unto thee.

ASV: They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me; for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They shall not dwell  in thy land,  lest they make thee sin  against me: for if thou serve  their gods,  it will surely be a snare  unto thee. 

What does Exodus 23:33 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 23:18-33 - Promise Of Entrance Into Canaan
This Angel must have been the Lord himself, for Stephen said expressly that the Angel was with Moses at the burning bush, where Jehovah revealed Himself, and the very ground was holy. Besides, we are told here that God's Name-i.e., His nature-was in Him. The Son of God, therefore, must have been the leader of that pilgrim-host, preceding the march, and preparing for their needs.
Notice that God would also send the hornet before His people, Exodus 23:28. The Presence, which is an Angel for God's children, becomes a hornet to the rebellious and ungodly. To one it is a savor of life, and to the other of death. The sun that bleaches linen white, tans the hands that expose it; the cloud which is light to Israel is thick darkness to Egypt. Grieve not the Holy One, who will overcome your enemies and satisfy your soul with goodness, if you will obey His voice. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 23

1  Of slander, false witness, and partiality
4  Of charitableness
6  Of justice in judgment
8  Of taking bribes
9  Of oppressing a stranger
10  Of the year of rest
12  Of the Sabbath
13  Of idolatry
14  Of the three feasts
18  Of the blood and the fat of the sacrifice
20  An angel is promised, with a blessing, if they obey him

What do the individual words in Exodus 23:33 mean?

Not they shall dwell in your land lest they make sin you against Me For [if] you serve - their gods it will surely be to you a snare -
לֹ֤א יֵשְׁבוּ֙ בְּאַרְצְךָ֔ פֶּן־ יַחֲטִ֥יאוּ אֹתְךָ֖ לִ֑י כִּ֤י תַעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־ אֱלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם כִּֽי־ יִהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֖ לְמוֹקֵֽשׁ פ

יֵשְׁבוּ֙  they  shall  dwell 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
בְּאַרְצְךָ֔  in  your  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
פֶּן־  lest 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: פֶּן  
Sense: lest, not, beware lest adv.
יַחֲטִ֥יאוּ  they  make  sin 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
לִ֑י  against  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
כִּ֤י  For  [if] 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
תַעֲבֹד֙  you  serve 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֱלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם  their  gods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
כִּֽי־  it  will  surely 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
לְךָ֖  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
לְמוֹקֵֽשׁ  a  snare 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹוקֵשׁ  
Sense: bait, lure, snare.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation