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The Israelites were told not to make covenants with the Canaanites. They were not even to let the Canaanites continue dwelling in their land. They were to drive them out and/or annihilate many of them, even including children, and keep absolutely none of the spoil for themselves in some instances (cf. Joshua 5-17-20). This was to keep them from worshiping “their gods.” Who were “their gods”? Any thing or any being that was given precedence over the one true and living God qualified as one of “their gods”, and aptly describes my sins against God also.
Praise God for His offer and covenant of mercy and grace through Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. Praise God for the Holy Spirit, Who indwells me as a believer and gives me the strength to put God first, even though I often fail. Hallelujah! Amen!
Amplified Bible (AMP)
32 You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods.
33 They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.
Psalm 51:1-3
The Message (MSG)
A David Psalm, After He Was Confronted by Nathan About the Affair with Bathsheba
51 1-3 Generous in love—God, give grace!
Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record.
Scrub away my guilt,
soak out my sins in your laundry.
I know how bad I’ve been;
my sins are staring me down.
Proverbs 7:7-8
Amplified Bible (AMP)
7 And among the simple (empty-headed and emptyhearted) ones, I perceived among the youths a young man void of good sense,
8 Sauntering through the street near the [loose woman’s] corner; and he went the way to her house.
(Scriptures were copied and posted through BibleGateway.com.)