Bible Strands
Exodus 20:6
but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God addresses Israel at Sinai, delivering the second commandment (no graven images). This verse is the positive clause that follows the warning in verse 5 about punishment for those who hate Him.
The words — חֶסֶד (chesed, H2617) is the operative noun: covenant loyalty, a binding obligation rather than a feeling. It is paired with לַ/אֲלָפִים (la'ăləp̄îm, "to thousands"), a deliberate contrast to the "third and fourth generations" of verse 5.
The thread — Deuteronomy 7:9 restates the same formula: the LORD is "the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations." John 14:21 and 1 John 5:3 later equate love for God with keeping His commandments, the same pairing this verse demands.
Why it lands — The verse offers no option to love without obeying or to obey without loving; both are conditions of the blessing. A reader must decide whether they count themselves among those who do both.
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
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.
- John 14:21 Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”
- 1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,
- Jeremiah 32:39 I will give them one heart and one way, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and for the good of their children after them.
- Deuteronomy 5:29 If only they had such a heart to fear Me and keep all My commandments always, so that it might be well with them and with their children forever.
- Acts 2:39 This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
- John 14:15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
- Romans 11:28 Regarding the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs.
- Deuteronomy 4:37 Because He loved your fathers, He chose their descendants after them and brought you out of Egypt by His presence and great power,
- 1 John 4:19 We love because He first loved us.