10639. Verses 12-17. Take heed to thyself, lest perchance thou make a covenant with the inhabitant of the land upon which thou comest, lest perchance it become a snare in the midst of thee. Wherefore ye shall overturn their altars, and shall break their pillars, and shall cut down their groves. Wherefore thou shalt not bow thyself to another god; for Jehovah, whose name is Jealous, a jealous God is He. Lest perchance thou make a covenant with the inhabitant of the land, and they commit whoredom after their gods, and sacrifice to their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice. And thou take of his daughters for thy sons, and his daughters commit whoredom after their gods, and make thy sons commit whoredom after their gods. Thou shalt not make for thee molten gods. “Take heed to thyself, lest perchance thou make a covenant with the inhabitant of the land upon which thou comest,” signifies that there must be no adherence to any religious persuasion whatever that has evil in it; “lest perchance it become a snare in the midst of thee,” signifies a consequent misleading in the Word itself; “wherefore ye shall overturn their altars,” signifies that the evil of such a religious persuasion and of the consequent worship must be rejected; “and shall break their pillars,” signifies that the falsities of evil must be dispersed; “and shall cut down their groves,” signifies that their teachings must be utterly rejected; “wherefore thou shalt not bow thyself to another god,” signifies that the Lord alone is to be worshiped from faith and love; “for Jehovah, whose name is Jealous, a jealous God is He,” signifies that if another is worshiped, Divine good and Divine truth will depart; “lest perchance thou make a covenant with the inhabitant of the land,” signifies in this manner a conjunction with the evil of any religious persuasion; “and they commit whoredom after their gods,” signifies the consequent falsities of evil; “and sacrifice to their gods” signifies thus worship from falsities; “and one call thee and thou eat of his sacrifice,” signifies the allurement, reception, and appropriation of falsity from evil; “and thou take of his daughters for thy sons,” signifies the conjunction of the affections of evil with truths; “and his daughters commit whoredom after their gods, and make thy sons commit whoredom after their gods,” signifies in this manner the profanation of good and of truth; “thou shalt not make for thee molten gods,” signifies the worship of self and not of the Lord.