Exodus 20:5
You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The "jealousy" described here isn't petty insecurity, but God's fierce protection of His honor, much like a husband fiercely guarding his marriage vows. This divine jealousy fuels the consequence for idolatry, extending to future generations not as an unfair punishment, but as a natural, and often severe, societal and spiritual disadvantage inherited by those who continue to reject Him.
This verse is part of God's Ten Commandments, delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai. It directly follows the prohibition against making and worshipping graven images and elaborates on the absolute loyalty God demands from His people, emphasizing that He alone is to be the object of their worship. The consequence for violating this command, as stated here, carries implications across generations for those who reject God's authority.
Understand the original words
qanna · Hebrew Adjective
A state of emotional intensity regarding a covenantal relationship; when applied to God, it signifies His righteous zeal for His own honor and His demand for exclusive loyalty from His people. It is an expression of His protective, holy love.
avon · Hebrew Noun
A moral wrong, perversity, or guilt resulting from conscious violation of God's law. It carries the weight of both the act and the resulting consequence or punishment that requires divine justice.
shachah · Hebrew Verb
To bow down in a physical act of submission or worship; it implies total surrender, humility, and recognition of the authority and deity of the one being worshipped.
abad · Hebrew Verb
This passage echoes the 'jealous God' concept, describing God as a 'consuming fire,' emphasizing the intensity of His commitment to His covenant and His intolerance for idolatry.
Joshua 24:19Joshua directly quotes and applies this principle to the Israelites, warning them that God is a 'jealous God' who will not forgive their transgressions or idolatry, highlighting the historical weight of this command.
Ezekiel 18:20This prophetic passage clarifies the justice of God by stating that 'the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father,' emphasizing individual responsibility while not negating the natural consequences of generational sin.
Romans 1:23This New Testament passage speaks to the consequence of exchanging the truth of God for a lie, showing how humanity, in turning from God, has embraced 'idolatrous worship' and the resulting 'futile thinking' that can follow.
1 Corinthians 10:14The Apostle Paul directly warns believers against idolatry, urging them to 'flee from idolatry' and demonstrating the enduring relevance of this command for the early church.
gillExodus 20:5: "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;"
Thou shall not bow down thyself to them,.... Perform any worship to them, show any reverence of them by any gesture of the body; one being mentioned, bowing the body, and put for all others, as prostration of it to the earth, bending the knee, kissing the hand, lifting up…
calvinExodus 20:4-6: "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:"
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Non adorabis ea, neque coles ea, ego enim Jehova Deus tuus, Deus zelotes, visitans iniq…
The "jealousy" described here isn't petty insecurity, but God's fierce protection of His honor, much like a husband fiercely guarding his marriage vows. This divine jealousy fuels the consequence for idolatry, extending to future generations not as an unfair punishment, but as a natural, and often severe, societal and spiritual disadvantage inherited by those who continue to reject Him.
This verse is part of God's Ten Commandments, delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai. It directly follows the prohibition against making and worshipping graven images and elaborates on the absolute loyalty God demands from His people, emphasizing that He alone is to be the object of their worship. The consequence for violating this command, as stated here, carries implications across generations for those who reject God's authority.
This verse is part of God's Ten Commandments, delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai. It directly follows the prohibition against making and worshipping graven images and elaborates on the absolute loyalty God demands from His people, emphasizing that He alone is to be the object of their worship. The consequence for violating this command, as stated here, carries implications across generations for those who reject God's authority.
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To labor, work, or perform acts of religious devotion. In a theological sense, it describes the totality of service and allegiance offered to God (or an idol) as one's master.
"You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me," — The "jealousy" described here isn't petty insecurity, but God's fierce protection of His honor, much like a husband fiercely guarding his marriage vows. This divine jealousy fuels the consequence for…
