Take heed to yourself, literally “be protected for you,” or “be on your guard,” is a different form of the same word used in verse 11 for “observe.” Another way to express this is “Be careful that you don’t….” Here it is followed by the negative lest, which may be understood as “beware” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Revised English Bible). Lest you make a covenant is literally “lest you cut a covenant.” (See the comment on “cutting a covenant” at 23.32.) This means “Do not make any treaties” (Good News Translation). In certain languages figurative expressions like the Hebrew may be used; for example, “Do not cut any agreements with….” With the inhabitants of the land whither you go refers to “the people who live in the land where you are going” (New International Version). They are named in verse 11. The inhabitants, literally “the dweller,” is singular in form but plural in meaning.

Lest it become a snare in the midst of you is literally “lest it [or, he] will be for a trap in your [singular] midst.” The word for snare is a common word for a bird trap. The it refers to “any treaties” (Good News Translation) the Israelites might make, or possibly to the act of making such treaties. It is also possible for the pronoun it (or, “he”) to refer to “the dweller,” which is singular in form but means the inhabitants. Thus New International Version has “or they will be a snare among you” (similarly Revised English Bible, New American Bible, and others). Good News Translation calls the snare “a fatal trap,” which may be implied. This is a metaphor that may be changed to a simile, “it [or, they] will be like a trap for you” or “it [or, they] will be like falling into a trap.” If this figure of speech cannot be used, the basic meaning may need to be expressed: “a treaty with them will be a continual source of temptation for you to sin,” or “they will be….” (See verse 15 below.)

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .