23:7a

So you are not to associate with these nations that remain among you: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as not to associate with is more literally “not enter into.” This indicates that the Israelites should not have anything to do with the non-Israelites who still lived in the lands they had conquered.

these nations that remain among you: This indicates that there were non-Israelite people who still lived in the land of Canaan because the Israelites had not yet conquered them.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

Do not have anything to do with the nations who still live among you.
-or-
Do not make friends with the ⌊other⌋ peoples who still remain around you.

23:7b

You must not call on the names of their gods or swear by them, and you must not serve them or bow down to them: The four verbs that are used in this part of the verse all refer to different acts of worship.

You must not call on the names of their gods: This clause indicates that the Israelites should not speak the names of foreign gods. They should not call on them to pray to them.

or swear by them: The phrase swear by them indicates that the Israelites should not take an oath or a vow using the name of a foreign god.

you must not serve them: The phrase serve them indicates that the Israelites should not worship foreign gods.

or bow down to them: The phrase bow down to them indicates that the Israelites should not bow down to foreign gods as part of their worship.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

Do not call on the names of their gods or take oaths in their names. Do not serve them or bow down to them.
-or-
You must not speak the names of their gods ⌊in prayer⌋ . You must not make promises in their names. You must not worship them or bow down in front of them.

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