New King James Version
Exodus 34:7
7keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”
Exodus 34:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation."
- New Living Translation (NLT)I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren; the entire family is affected— even children in the third and fourth generations.”
Context of Exodus 34:7
5Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” 8So Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. 9Then he said, “If now I have found grace in Your sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray, go among us, even though we are a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your inheritance.”
Read all of Exodus 34Exodus 34:7 word by word
נֹצֵ֥ר חֶ֙סֶד֙ לָאֲלָפִ֔ים נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֹ֛ן וָפֶ֖שַׁע וְחַטָּאָ֑ה וְנַקֵּה֙ לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֔ה פֹּקֵ֣ד׀ עֲוֹ֣ן אָב֗וֹת עַל־בָּנִים֙ וְעַל־בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Keepingנָצַרnâtsar · to watchH5341
- mercyחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617
- for thousandsאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
- forgivingנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: forgiveH5375
- iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
- and transgressionפֶּ֫שַׁעpesha‛ · transgressionH6588
- and sinחַטָּאָהchaţţâ'âh chaţţâ'th · sinH2403
- and that will by no meansנָקָהnâqâh · to clearH5352
- visitingפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: visitH6485
- of the fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
- upon the childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- children, unto the thirdשִׁלֵּשׁshillêsh · thirdH8029
- and to the fourthרִבֵּעַribbêa‛ · fourthH7256
Cross-references for Exodus 34:7
- Exodus 20:6but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
- Deuteronomy 5:10but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
- Nehemiah 1:5And I said: “I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments,
- Nehemiah 9:32“Now therefore, our God, The great, the mighty, and awesome God, Who keeps covenant and mercy: Do not let all the trouble seem small before You That has come upon us, Our kings and our princes, Our priests and our prophets, Our fathers and on all Your people, From the days of the kings of Assyria until this day.
- Psalms 86:15But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.
- Jeremiah 32:18You show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them—the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts.
- Daniel 9:4And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments,
- Psalms 103:3Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
- Psalms 130:4But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.
- Daniel 9:9To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him.
- Micah 7:18Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy.
- Matthew 6:14“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
- Matthew 12:31“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.
- Matthew 18:32Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
- Luke 7:42And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”
- Acts 5:31Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
Commentaries on Exodus 34:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7That will by no means clear the guilty - This last clause is rather difficult; literally translated it signifies, in clearing he will not clear. But the Samaritan, reading לו lo, to him, instead of the negative לא lo, not, renders the clause thus: With whom the innocent shall be innocent; i.e., an innocent or holy person shall never be treated as if he were a transgressor, by this just and holy God. The Arabic version has it, He justifies and is not…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-9Verses 5-9 The Lord descended by some open token of his presence and manifestation of his glory in a cloud, and thence proclaimed his NAME; that is, the perfections and character which are denoted by the name JEHOVAH. The Lord God is merciful; ready to forgive the sinner, and to relieve the needy. Gracious; kind, and ready to bestow undeserved benefits. Long-suffering; slow to anger, giving time for repentance, only punishing when it is needful. He is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7God’s unfailing love and his generous desire to forgive are not weakness or indecisiveness, nor are they reason to sin. Sin will have its effects, because God created a world of cause and effect. The murderer may repent, be forgiven, and lead a new life, but the effects of previous choices will continue to play out. We should not sin just because we know that God will forgive (see study note on 20:5–6). a thousand generations: See Deuteronomy 7:9–11. He…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-351. the like unto the first--God having been reconciled to repentant Israel, through the earnest intercession, the successful mediation of Moses, means were to be taken for the restoration of the broken covenant. Intimation was given, however, in a most intelligible and expressive manner, that the favor was to be restored with some memento of the rupture; for at the former time God Himself had provided the materials, as well as written upon them. Now…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 34:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 34
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries