Exodus 34:7
in Exodus 34maintaining 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.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
keeping lovingkindness 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, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.
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.
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This verse in Exodus 34
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThat 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.
This site's exposition
Keeping mercy for thousands
The phrase forgiving iniquity occurs here for the first time in Scripture, and three words for sin stand behind it, iniquity and transgression and sin. The same sentence says that God will by no means clear the guilty and visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation. Exodus 20:5 and 20:6 set those two things side by side in the reverse order, and neither passage explains how they are held together.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
PateriusEXPOSITION OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT, EXODUS 60 · Written before 606.
proposed
What does it mean that the Lord now says through Moses, "You visit the iniquity of fathers on their sons and grandsons"? In these two passages a different sense is found, but the mind of the hearer is taught to inquire subtly along the path …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Keeping mercy for thousands,.... In his own heart, in his purposes and decrees, in his counsels and covenant, in his Son, with whom he keeps it for ever, and for all in him, Psa 89:28 and they are many who are ordained to eternal life, for whom Christ gave his life a ransom, and for whom his blood was shed for the remission of their sins; and whom he justifies by his knowledge, and at last brings to glory as the great Captain of their salvation; these are even a number which no man can number.
His mercy is grace, free grace; this teaches us to be not only pitiful, but courteous, 1 Pet. iii. (3.) He is long-suffering. This is a branch of God's goodness which the wickedness of sinners gives occasion for; that of Israel had done so: they had tried his patience, and experienced it.
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| נֹצֵ֥ר | notzer | maintaining | H5341 → | |
| חֶ֙סֶד֙ | chesed | covenant loyalty | H2617 → | 247 times |
| לָאֲלָפִ֔ים | laalafim | to <the> thousands | H505 → | 505 times |
| נֹשֵׂ֥א | nose' | forgiving | H5375 → | 656 times |
| עָוֹ֛ן | ʾavon | iniquity | H5771 → | 233 times |
| וָפֶ֖שַׁע | vafesha' | and transgression | H6588 → | 93 times |
| וְחַטָּאָ֑ה | vechataah | and sin | H2403 → | 295 times |
| וְנַקֵּה֙ | venakeh | and certainly <to leave unpunished> | H5352 → | 44 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יְנַקֶּ֔ה | yenakeh | he leaves unpunished | H5352 → | 44 times |
| פֹּקֵ֣ד׀ | poked | visiting | H6485 → | 303 times |
| עֲוֹ֣ן | ʾavon | [the] iniquity of | H5771 → | 233 times |
| אָב֗וֹת | ʾavot | parents | H1 → | 1212 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| בָּנִים֙ | banim | [the] children | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| וְעַל־ | veal- | and on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] children of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| בָנִ֔ים | vanim | children | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖ים | shileshim | a third generation | H8029 → | |
| וְעַל־ | veal- | and on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| רִבֵּעִֽים׃ | ribeim | a fourth generation | H7256 → |
נֹצֵ֥רmaintaining
notzerH5341 →
חֶ֙סֶד֙covenant loyalty
chesedH2617 →247 times
לָאֲלָפִ֔יםto <the> thousands
laalafimH505 →505 times
נֹשֵׂ֥אforgiving
nose'H5375 →656 times
עָוֹ֛ןiniquity
ʾavonH5771 →233 times
וָפֶ֖שַׁעand transgression
vafesha'H6588 →93 times
וְחַטָּאָ֑הand sin
vechataahH2403 →295 times
וְנַקֵּה֙and certainly <to leave unpunished>
venakehH5352 →44 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יְנַקֶּ֔הhe leaves unpunished
yenakehH5352 →44 times
פֹּקֵ֣ד׀visiting
pokedH6485 →303 times
עֲוֹ֣ן[the] iniquity of
ʾavonH5771 →233 times
אָב֗וֹתparents
ʾavotH1 →1212 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
בָּנִים֙[the] children
banimH1121 →4930 times
וְעַל־and on
veal-H5921 →5755 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] children of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
בָנִ֔יםchildren
vanimH1121 →4930 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖יםa third generation
shileshimH8029 →
וְעַל־and on
veal-H5921 →5755 times
רִבֵּעִֽים׃a fourth generation
ribeimH7256 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 John 1:9If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
it leads to
- Psalms 32:5
Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
- Proverbs 28:13
He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
- Jeremiah 33:8
And I will cleanse them from all the iniquity they have committed against Me, and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against Me.
- Psalms 51:2–5
Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
- 1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
- Psalms 32:5
Through
Psalms 103:3He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases,
it leads to
- Exodus 15:26
saying, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His eyes, and pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, then…
- Isaiah 53:5
But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
- Exodus 15:26
Through
Ephesians 1:7In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
it leads to
- 1 Peter 2:24
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”
- 1 Peter 2:24
Where this verse is studied
By subject
Forgiveness35 verses
On this page
About Exodus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Paterius, EXPOSITION OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT, EXODUS 60.