Deuteronomy 5:9

You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites, restating the covenant law immediately after prohibiting the creation of idols in the preceding verse.

The words — The Hebrew תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥֣ה (tish.ta.cha.veh) commands "you must bow down," paired with תָעָבְדֵ֑/ם֒ (ta.'a.ve.De/m) to forbid being enticed to serve them. The declaration כִּי אָנֹכִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶי/ךָ (ki 'anokhi Yahweh 'eloheikha) establishes "for I, Yahweh, your God" as the basis for this prohibition.

The thread — The prohibition against crafting idols appears in Exodus 20:4, while the pattern of divine justice and mercy across generations is echoed in Exodus 34:7 and Numbers 14:18.

Why it lands — The text commands exclusive allegiance by forbidding physical prostration and service to other gods. It states that covenant loyalty determines whether divine consequences extend to descendants.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

King James Version

Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto 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,

Cross-references

Exodus 20:4 You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath.
Exodus 34:7 maintaining loving devotion to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. Yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers on their children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”
Numbers 14:18 ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion, forgiving iniquity and transgression. Yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon their children to the third and fourth generation.’
Daniel 9:4 And I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed, “O, Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of loving devotion to those who love Him and keep His commandments,
Exodus 34:14 For you must not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
Matthew 23:35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
Jeremiah 32:18 You show loving devotion to thousands but lay the iniquity of the fathers into the laps of their children after them, O great and mighty God whose name is the LORD of Hosts,
Romans 11:28 Regarding the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs.