^12 (A)Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst.

³⁰ beware that you are not ensnared ^[a]to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?’

¹³ know with certainty that the Lord your God will not continue to ^[a]drive these nations out from before you; but they will be a ^(A)snare and a trap to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the Lord your God has given you.

³ Therefore I also said, ‘^(A)I will not drive them out before you; but they will ^[a]become ^(B)as thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.’”