New International Version
Exodus 20:6
6but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Exodus 20:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
- English Standard Version (ESV)but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
- New King James Version (NKJV)but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.
Context of Exodus 20:6
4“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5You 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, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. 8“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Read all of Exodus 20Exodus 20:6 word by word
וְעֹ֥֤שֶׂה חֶ֖֙סֶד֙ לַאֲלָפִ֑֔ים לְאֹהֲבַ֖י וּלְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י מִצְוֹתָֽי׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Exodus 20:6
- Deuteronomy 4:37Because he loved your ancestors and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength,
- Deuteronomy 5:29Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!
- Deuteronomy 7:9Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.
- Jeremiah 32:39I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them.
- Acts 2:39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
- Romans 11:28As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,
- John 14:15“If you love me, keep my commands.
- 1 John 4:19We love because he first loved us.
- 1 John 5:3In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
- 2 John 1:6And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
Commentaries on Exodus 20:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6And showing mercy unto thousands - Mark; even those who love God and keep his commandments merit nothing from him, and therefore the salvation and blessedness which these enjoy come from the mercy of God: Showing mercy, etc. What a disproportion between the works of justice and mercy! Justice works to the third or fourth, mercy to thousands of generations! The heathen had maxims like these. Theocritus also teaches that the children of the good shall be…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-17Verses 1-17 The Hebrew name which is rendered in our King James Version as the ten commandments occurs in Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; Deuteronomy 10:4. It literally means “the Ten Words.” The Ten Commandments are also called the law, even the commandment Exodus 24:12, the words of the covenant Exodus 34:28, the tables of the covenant Deuteronomy 9:9, the covenant Deuteronomy 4:13, the two tables Deuteronomy 9:10, Deuteronomy 9:17, and, most…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-11Verses 3-11 The first four of the ten commandments, commonly called the FIRST table, tell our duty to God. It was fit that those should be put first, because man had a Maker to love, before he had a neighbour to love. It cannot be expected that he should be true to his brother, who is false to his God. The first commandment concerns the object of worship, JEHOVAH, and him only. The worship of creatures is here forbidden. Whatever comes short of perfect…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-6jealous God: When Scripture calls God a jealous God, it means he strongly opposes his people turning to false gods. He does not want them to give their loyalty to other gods (see Joshua 24:19–20). God’s jealousy is not selfish. It shows his deep love and his desire for his people to remain faithful to him. to the third and fourth generations … a thousand generations: We must understand both parts of this statement together. God does not punish children…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-118. Remember the sabbath day--implying it was already known, and recognized as a season of sacred rest. The first four commandments [Ex 20:3-11] comprise our duties to God--the other six [Ex 20:12-17] our duties to our fellow men; and as interpreted by Christ, they reach to the government of the heart as well as the lip (Mt 5:17). "If a man do them he shall live in them" [Le 18:5; Ne 9:29]. But, ah! what an if for frail and fallen man. Whoever rests his…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 20:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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