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.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God declares this character description to Moses during a divine encounter, directly following His self-revelation in Exodus 34:6 and preceding Moses' worshipful response in Exodus 34:8.

The words — The text emphasizes נֹצֵר (no.Tzer, maintaining) and חֶסֶד (che.sed, covenant loyalty) alongside נֹשֵׂא (no.Se', forgiving) and עָוֹן ('a.Von, iniquity), while וְ/נַקֵּה (ve./na.Keh) establishes that He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.

The thread — The tension between boundless mercy and generational judgment runs through Exodus 20:5 and Deuteronomy 5:9, while the promise to forgive iniquity aligns with Psalm 103:3.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that divine forgiveness operates within a framework of moral accountability, as it explicitly states God will visit the iniquity of ancestors on descendants to the third and fourth generations.

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

Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

Cross-references

Exodus 20:5 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,
Psalms 103:3 He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases,
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,
Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
Nahum 1:2 The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and full of wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on His foes and reserves wrath for His enemies.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
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.’
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,
Psalms 130:4 But with You there is forgiveness, so that You may be feared.
Job 10:14 If I sinned, You would take note, and would not acquit me of my iniquity.