9344. Thou shalt not make a covenant with them, and with their gods. That this signifies no communication with evils and falsities, is evident from the signification of “making a covenant,” as being to be conjoined (see n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778), thus also to be communicated, for they who communicate together are conjoined; from the signification of “the inhabitants of the land,” who in this case are those with whom they were not to make a covenant, as being evils (of which just above, n. 9342); and from the signification of “gods,” as being falsities (n. 4402, 4544, 7873, 8867, 8941).

222. That to “hide themselves from the face of Jehovah” means to be afraid of the dictate, as is wont to be the case with those who are conscious of evil, is evident from the reply (verse 10): “I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked.” The “face of Jehovah” or of the Lord, is mercy, peace, and every good, as is clearly evident from the benediction:

Jehovah make His faces to shine upon thee, and be merciful unto thee; Jehovah lift up His faces upon thee, and give thee peace (Numbers 6:25-26).

And in David:

God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and cause His faces to shine upon us (Psalms 67:1).

And in another place:

There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Jehovah, lift Thou up the light of Thy faces upon us (Psalms 4:6).

The mercy of the Lord is therefore called the “angel of faces” in Isaiah:

I will make mention of the mercies of Jehovah; He hath requited them according to His mercies, and according to the multitude of His mercies; and He became their Saviour. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His faces saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them (Isaiah 63:7-9).