You shall not bow down to them or worship them, for I am Jehovah your God, a jealous God who punishes the wickedness of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me.
You will not bow. Exo 23:24; Lev 26:1; Josh 23:7, Josh 23:16; Thu 2:19; 2Ki 17:35, 2Ki 17:41; 2Ch 25:14; Isaiah 44:15, Isaiah 44:19; Matt 4:9.
because I am Jehovah. Exo 34:14; Deu 4:24; Deu 6:15; Deu 32:21; Josh 24:19; Ps 78:58; Pro 6:34, pro 6:35; Eze 8:3; Dan 1:2; nah 1:2; 1Co 10:22.
that I visit evil. Exo 34:7; Lev 20:5; Lev 26:29, Lev 26:39, Lev 26:40; Num 14:18, Num 14:33; 1Sa 15:2, 1Sa 15:3; 2Sa 21:1, 2Sa 21:6; 1Ki 21:29; 2Ki 23:26; Job 5:4; Job 21:19; Ps 79:8; Ps 109:14; Isaiah 14:20, Isaiah 14:21; Isaiah 65:6, Isaiah 65:7; Jer 2:9; Jer 32:18; Matt 23:34-36.
those who hate me. Deu 7:10; Deu 32:41; Ps 81:15; pro 8:36; Joh 7:7; Joh 15:18, Joh 15:23, Joh 15:24; Romans 1:30; Romans 8:7; Jas 4:4.
Source: The Treasury of Biblical Knowledge
The phrase you shall not bow down to them, nor honor them form a pair of Hebrew words indicating a single idea: any form of worship of any other god. God is jealous (Heb. ˓el ganna’); that is, he is jealous of the truth that he is the only God. He is jealous of any rival. The Hebrew word translated visited has two meanings: to come in an act of mercy (Ruth 1:6) or come by divine decision (as in this case).
Third and fourth: Idolatry will bring judgment that will affect their descendants.
Source: New Illustrated Caribbean Bible Commentary
ABOUT THE CHILDREN. see Exo 34:7note
Source: Full Life Study Bible
the third and fourth generation…thousands. Moses had made it clear that children were not punished for the sins of their fathers (Deu 24:16; see Eze 18:19-32), but the children would feel the effects of the violations of God’s law by their parents’ generation as a natural consequence of disobedience, of their hatred of God. Children raised in such an environment would be impregnated with such idolatry and then practice it, and would in turn express hateful disobedience. The difference, as a consequence, served as both warning and motivation. The effect of a disobedient generation would be to plant evil so ingrained that it would take several generations to remove it.
Source: MacArthur Study Bible
you will tilt: Refers to the gesture of adoration also expressed in TLA as “don’t kneel”. The text assumes that both bowing and kneeling mean worship. If these actions do not mean the same thing in the receiving culture of the translation, they must be replaced by the more explicit formulation: “You will not worship them”.
I visit the wickedness of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me: The verb “visit” indicates that God is attentive to what happens. It can mean several things depending on the context (see also Exo 13:19), but in this verse, in general, it is translated as “punish” (TLA, DHH, NIV, NBE), giving the direct meaning of the text. However, the emphasis of the passage is not on the punishment that the innocent descendants of sinners will receive, but rather on making the sinner aware of the profound consequences of his sin, to the point that his stain will last until death. grandchildren and great-grandchildren of him. In the context of ancient Israelite society, where family lines extended for several generations, the responsibility of bequeathing an unworthy name to offspring was considered a shame and a fault that no one wanted to carry in their history. It is not God, then, who punishes the innocent, but the latter is affected by the sinful conduct of his ancestors and by the stigma with which they impregnated the name of his family. This situation can be seen in Lam 5:7 ―«Our fathers sinned, and we bear their sins» (DHH)― and in the opposite reaction of the prophets Jeremiah (Jer 31:29-30) and Ezekiel: «He who sins is the one who will die; the son will not bear the guilt of his father »(Eze 18:20, BJ; see vv. Exo 20:1-4). We suggest avoiding the verb “punish” here and replace it with “I remember evil” or “I make evil felt”.
Source: Commentary for Exegesis and Translation
— jealous: This epithet expresses the kind of exclusive relationship that God demands and maintains with Israel. The Lord does not tolerate half-hearted loyalty, shared with other gods. Watch Exo 34:14.
Source: Hispano-American Interdenominational Translation
Exo 34:6-7; Num 14:18; Deu 7:9-10.
Source: Hispano-American Interdenominational Translation
GRADES
(1) “You must not be induced to serve them.” Heb., welo’ tho ‛ dhem; Gr., me la treu six au tois, “you shall render them no sacred service.” Compare Exo 3:12, n.
(2) Or: “a God who is jealous; a God who tolerates no rivalry.” Heb., ‘The qan·naʹ; Gr.: The os ze lo tes.
(3) Lit., “up to the third and fourth”. See Gen 50:23, n.
CROSS-REFERENCES
f 861 Gen 35:2; Exo 23:24; 1Co 10:20; 1Jn 5:21
g 862 Exo 34:14; Num 25:11; Matt 4:10; Luke 10:27
h 863 Deu 5:9; 2Sa 21:6; 1Ki 21:29; Matt 23:35
Source: New World Translation
you will worship… you will serve. Worship and service are the two components of the worship of God in Israel.
jealous. This term is used in the OT to indicate that God demands exclusive worship of his people. As in all human language, the word is not enough to describe this characteristic of God; but it is different from the jealousy that human beings experience.
the iniquity of the fathers to the children. The sin here is idolatry, the most serious of sins. Whoever commits this sin brings the consequences on his family for generations, unless the descendants reject the evil ways of their parents.
Source: The Bible of the Americas
you will serve… → Exo 34:17; Leviticus 19:4; Lev 26:1; Deu 4:15-18; Deu 27:15; El-Cana… That is, Jealous God → §005; §035.
Source: Textual Bible IV Edition
Or, you will bow down to them
u will honor
lit., about
Source: The Bible of the Americas
g Exo_34:17; Leviticus 19:4; Lev 26:1; Deu 4:15-18; Deu 27:15.
20.5 Heb. El-cana.