Exodus 23:33Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The primary requirement for Israel was to avoid forming alliances ‘with the nations and with their gods,’ meaning they were not to negotiate peace with any entire nation or tribe that maintained its tribal and religious identity. Such tribes posed a genuine threat to Israel’s integrity. Individuals belonging to these groups, as long as they adhered to the governance of Israel, could not engage in their rituals publicly or sway the populace with their allure or mystique. Entire tribes, as indicated in verses 30 and 31, were to be removed entirely, relocating their entire societal existence to other lands. Only the worship of Jehovah, the God of Israel, was permitted to remain in Palestine. To this sacred purpose, the entire body of legislation was aimed at establishing a sanctuary dedicated to the one true God on the earth.