Exodus

Exodus 20:4–6

⁴You 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. ⁵You 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, ⁶but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations^b of those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Footnotes

b 20:6 Or to thousands

Read all of Exodus 20

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Exodus 20:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
not	לֹֽ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
make	תַֽעֲשֶׂ֨ה־	ṯa·‘ă·śeh-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
for yourself	לְךָ֥֣	lə·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular
an idol	פֶ֣֙סֶל֙׀	p̄ɛ·sɛl	Noun - masculine singular	H6459 idol, image
in the form	וְכָל־	wə·ḵāl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
of anything	תְּמוּנָ֡֔ה	tə·mū·nāh	Noun - feminine singular	H8544 likeness, form
in the heavens	בַּשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙׀	baš·šå̄·ma·yim	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
above	מִמַּ֡֔עַל	mim·ma·‘al	Preposition-m; Adverb	H4605 higher part
on the earth	בָּאָ֖֨רֶץ	bā·’ā·reṣ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
below	מִתַָּ֑֜חַת	mit·tå̄·ḥaṯ	Preposition-m; Adverb	H8478 the under part
or in the waters	בַּמַּ֖֣יִם׀	bam·ma·yim	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
beneath	מִתַּ֥֣חַת	mit·ta·ḥaṯ	Preposition-m	H8478 the under part

Exodus 20:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You shall not	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
bow down	תִשְׁתַּחְוֶ֥֣ה	ṯiš·taḥ·wɛh	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7812 bow down
to them	לָהֶ֖ם֮	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural
or	וְלֹ֣א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
worship them	תָעָבְדֵ֑ם֒	ṯā·‘ā·ḇə·ḏêm	Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H5647 work, serve
for	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I	אָֽנֹכִ֞י	’ā·nō·ḵî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H595 I
the LORD	יְהוָ֤ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
your God	אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙	’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H430 God
am a jealous	קַנָּ֔א	qan·nā	Adjective - masculine singular	H7067 jealous
God	אֵ֣ל	’êl	Noun - masculine singular	H410 god
visiting	פֹּ֠קֵד	pō·qêḏ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H6485 attend to, visit, muster, appoint
the iniquity	עֲוֺ֨ן	‘ă·wōn	Noun - common singular construct	H5771 iniquity, guilt, or punishment of iniquity
of the fathers	אָבֹ֧ת	’ā·ḇōṯ	Noun - masculine plural	H1 father
on	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
children	בָּנִ֛ים	bā·nîm	Noun - masculine plural	H1121 son
to	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the third	שִׁלֵּשִׁ֥ים	šil·lê·šîm	Noun - masculine plural	H8029 pertaining to the third
and fourth	רִבֵּעִ֖ים	rib·bê·‘îm	Noun - masculine plural	H7256 pertaining to the fourth
of those who hate Me	לְשֹׂנְאָֽ֑י׃	lə·śō·nə·ʾå̄y	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H8130 hate

Exodus 20:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
but showing	וְעֹ֥֤שֶׂה	wə·‘ō·śeh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H6213 do, make
loving devotion	חֶ֖֙סֶד֙	ḥe·seḏ	Noun - masculine singular	H2617 goodness, kindness
to a thousand	לַאֲלָפִ֑֔ים	la·’ă·lā·p̄îm	Preposition-l; Number - masculine plural	H505 thousand
of those who love Me	לְאֹהֲבַ֖י	lə·’ō·hă·ḇay	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H157 love
and keep	וּלְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י	ū·lə·šō·mə·rê	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
My commandments	מִצְוֺתָֽי׃ס	miṣ·wō·ṯāy	Noun - feminine plural construct; first person common singular	H4687 commandment

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Exodus 20:4 Deuteronomy 5:8 · Leviticus 26:1 · Deuteronomy 4:15–19 · Psalm 97:7 · Leviticus 19:4 · Deuteronomy 27:15 · Acts 17:29 · Revelation 16:2 · Psalm 115:4–8 · Jeremiah 10:14–16 · Isaiah 42:8 · Romans 1:23

Exodus 20:5 Deuteronomy 5:9 · Numbers 14:18 · Deuteronomy 4:24 · Exodus 34:14 · Deuteronomy 6:15 · Joshua 24:19 · Joshua 23:7 · Psalm 109:14 · Nahum 1:2 · Exodus 34:6–7 · Jeremiah 32:18 · Isaiah 65:6–7

Exodus 20:6 Deuteronomy 7:9 · John 14:21 · 1 John 5:3 · Jeremiah 32:39–40 · Deuteronomy 5:29 · Acts 2:39 · John 14:15 · Romans 11:28–29 · Deuteronomy 4:37 · 1 John 4:19 · 2 John 1:6

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.