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;
You must not bow down to idols or worship them, because I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God. I will punish the children and grandchildren, even to the third and fourth generation, for the sins of parents who hate me.
God is warning that worshiping idols instead of Him brings consequences that can affect families for generations because He demands exclusive devotion.
📚 Historical Context
This verse is part of the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai after delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The Israelites were surrounded by nations that worshiped many gods through carved images and statues, and God was establishing that His people must worship Him alone. The concept of generational consequences was well understood in ancient family-centered societies where the actions of parents directly impacted their descendants' social, economic, and spiritual standing.
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