Charles Ellicott Commentary Exodus 23:33

"They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me; for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee." — Exodus 23:33 (ASV)

They shall not dwell in your land. — Individuals might remain if they became proselytes, as Urijah the Hittite, Araunah the Jebusite, etc., and the Gibeonites remained en masse, but in a servile condition. What was forbidden was the co-existence of friendly but independent heathen communities with Israel within the limits of Canaan. This would have been a perpetual “snare” to the Israelites, and would have continually led them into idolatry; as we find that it did during the period of the early Judges. (Judges 2:11–13; Judges 3:5–7.)