Exodus 20:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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 the fourth generation of those who hate me,

NIV: You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

NASB: You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, inflicting the punishment of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,

CSB: Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the fathers’ iniquity, to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me,

NLT: You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected — even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.

KJV: 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;

NKJV: you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

Idolatry generally means taking the worship owed to God and giving it to something else. The target of this improper reverence is an "idol." This sin is prohibited by the second commandment (Exodus 20:4). In many religions, especially in the ancient world, these were literal objects: the "carved images" mentioned in the prior verse (Exodus 20:4). biblical references to idolatry can refer to worship of physical objects (Genesis 31:19; Judges 17:4) or to the imaginary deities of false religions (Isaiah 45:5; 1 Chronicles 16:26).

This prohibition leaves no exception for worship which is claimed to be directed at the Lord. Statues, pictures, relics, and all other objects or images are not to be the target of prayers or veneration. The requirement to worship God and God alone is absolute—no created thing can be inserted in that relationship.

The emotion of "jealousy" is a powerful sense of ownership and intolerance of rivals to that status. The term is usually used negatively. Yet the feeling is not entirely wrong. A "jealous husband" is concerned about his wife's faithfulness. That's reasonable when he dislikes her giving affection or intimacy to other men. It's unreasonable when he treats her as an inanimate object to be controlled. In God's case, jealousy is to be expected: He alone is the Lord (Exodus 20:1–3). Unlike fallible people, He has the right to expect every bit of our praise and honor. Worshipping images or imaginary gods are both serious sins.

This verse is often misinterpreted to suggest that God punishes people for sins which their ancestors committed, but they themselves did not. Yet the Bible is clear that God holds each person accountable for their own sin (Deuteronomy 24:16; Ezekiel 18:30–32). The point made here is that tradition and customs do not excuse immorality. Blame cannot be shifted by appealing to one's culture (1 Kings 15:3; 22:52). If a child participates in the same sins as their father, they will suffer the same judgment (Jeremiah 14:20).

Exodus 20:1–17 contains the Ten Commandments: the foundational laws of the ancient nation of Israel. These provide a basis for every other Mosaic law (2 Chronicles 5:10). The laws prohibit worship of other gods, idolatry, blasphemy, perjury, theft, murder, adultery, and covetousness. They command Israelites to honor parents and observe a weekly Sabbath rest. Like the rest of the old covenant, these commandments will be "fulfilled" and no longer applicable after Christ's completed work (Galatians 4:4–5; Hebrews 8:8–13). However, all these rules, other than the command to observe the Sabbath, are repeated in Christ's teachings.

At Mount Sinai, God begins declaring the laws of His covenant with Israel. The first of these are the Ten Commandments. These establish core principles intended to guide the Lord's chosen people (Deuteronomy 7:6). Further details will come in other chapters and books. This chapter ends with specifics about altars and idols. The following chapters will address various social and civil issues (Exodus 21—23)

Centuries after being enslaved in Egypt (Exodus 1), Israel has been freed (Exodus 12). God leads the people across the Red Sea (Exodus 14) and into the wilderness of Sinai (Exodus 17—19). Here, He will give them laws which distinguish them from other nations. The first of these are the renowned Ten Commandments. The Lord will continue to provide details and statutes (Exodus 21—23) before confirming the covenant (Exodus 24) and establishing regulations for the tabernacle and priests (Exodus 25—31).