Original Sin

Commentary: This is a similar Hebrew idiom as found in Deuteronomy 5:9-10 and Exodus 34:7, "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." When a man and woman marry, it is expected that they would have children. The more children they have, the greater the blessing. The first [Hebrew] character examined in this study [Exodus 34:7] pointed to the beginning of the Bridegroom and the bride. Here we see an enlarged נ (nun) at the beginning of this passage, which discusses generations of offspring. Specifically, the passage speaks of dividing those offspring into two groups, those who receive forgiveness and lovingkindness and those who do not, but receive the iniquity of their fathers. The Hebrew word נצר (notzar),in which the enlarged נ (nun) is found, has the meaning of "protect" or "preserve." Thus, those children who protect and preserve the Torah YHWH are the ones who shall receive the lovingkindness of YHWH. Source: Something Hidden - Revealed

Commentary: To summarize the Old Testament material, we can say that the passages about the "third and fourth generation" show a limitation on Gods judgement, since they are mentioned in the context of His lovingkindness shown to thousands. The key to blessing was to be in right covenant relationship with God. Source: Generational Curses

Commentary: Those who will not be parted from their sins by the commands of God, shall be parted from them by judgments. Source: Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Commentary: The keeping of the Sabbath was not a performance binding upon the land, nor had the land been in fault because the Sabbath was not kept. As the earth groans under the pressure of the sin of men, so does it rejoice in deliverance from this pressure, and participation in the blessed rest of the whole creation. Source: Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, Leviticus 26:35

Commentary: The purpose of adversity as described here is to ultimately remove (get rid of) sin. This can be as drastic as removing the people (who sin) from the land (which still retains cleanness and can rest - Psalm 132:13-14, "For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it"). Verses 39-41 illustrate the generational nature of sin where the sins of the father are repeated by the sons, but the sins of the sons are their own, "they shall confess their iniquity." When they confess their iniquity, they are also recognizing that it is the same sin that they repeated from their fathers, "and the iniquity of their fathers." In verse 44, even though the temporal punishment is as severe as can be described, God does not abandon His covenant and the temporal punishment is not meant to be eternal, "neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God". The expected final state is repentance. When repentance occurs, God remembers His covenant.

Commentary: What is so interesting here is that Moses cited the passage from the second commandment that warned about the consequences on the third and fourth generation when pleading for mercy and pardon from the Lord. This is strong evidence that Moses himself considered the passage to show a limitation on God's wrath and evidence of His mercy. Source: Generational Curses

Commentary: Refer to commentaries for Exodus 20:5-6, Numbers 14:17-20, Deuteronomy 7:9-10.

Commentary: [This] is a passage in Deuteronomy that sheds light on [the] passages in Exodus because it also mentions God’s mercy to thousands, as well as His justice. To love God is the primary requirement of the Law, as was emphasized in Deuteronomy 6:5. To "hate" God in the context of covenant terminology was to reject the covenant and God as a covenant partner. Concerning the phrase "to the face" in this passage, Eugene Merrill states that, "This expression occurs only here and probably means that the judgement would not be reserved for unborn generations but would fall immediately upon those who had sinned in this manner, right there and then." Otherwise, the Israelites would misunderstand the 2nd commandment to mean that the children would be punished for the father's sins and the ones who sinned would escape. This verse says that those who reject the covenant (hating God) and refuse to love Him would bear their own immediate punishment. Although the third and fourth generations are not mentioned in Deuteronomy 7:9,10, the wording of "a thousandth generation" brings to mind the previous passages. This interpretation gives weight to what Calvin and Kaiser said, that it is the haters of God themselves who are punished, not children who refuse to participate in their parent's sins. Source: Generational Curses.

Commentary: "The iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering forever" (1 Samuel 3:14). This seems to imply that Hophni and Phinehas, Eli's evil sons, fully expected that their sins could be removed by offerings and sacrifices. However, no external act of worship is of any value unless it reflects a condition of repentance and sincerity on the part of the worshipper. The arrogant, deliberate, and unrepentant attitude of Eli's sons meant that their punishment could not be averted. Source: Burton Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible.

Commentary: One of the ways the Jews avoided taking responsibility for the consequences of their own sin was to blame it on their parents. This phrase concerning the sour grapes and teeth on edge was a common and idiomatic part of their daily lives. It was a constant reminder that any suffering they experienced (teeth set on edge) was the result of their ancestors who "ate sour grapes," a euphemism for willful sinning. Though the idiom was a fabrication of Jewish tradition, and not the teaching of God, it will be clear in the New Jerusalem that each person is responsible for their own actions. Each person who chooses to eat the sour grapes of sin will suffer the consequences of that choice. One will no longer be able to blame the consequences of their own sin on their fathers, grandfathers, and ancestor. Each person will answer to God for their own choices. Source: The American Journal of Biblical Theology

Commentary: Here is a Jewish interpretation of this passage: "Perhaps the strongest Scriptural support for the interpretation that ‘poqed 'avon abot 'al banim’ [visits the iniquities of fathers on sons] applies only to children who continue the sinful ways of their father has been brought from Jeremiah 32:18-19. There, in two consecutive verses, the prophet cites God's attribute of cross-generational reward and punishment immediately followed by the principle of individual accountability." Source: Generational Curses.

Commentary: The point of the captivity was to purge Israel of pagan idolatry that was covenant breaking in its worse form. The second commandment forbade this pagan practice. The Israelites of the captivity, rather than complaining of being unjustly punished because it was their parents who were the idolaters, are urged to return to the Lord in covenant faithfulness, and thus "live." There is to be no fatalistic interpretation of the principle of the third and fourth generation. Source: Generational Curses.

Commentary: Ezekiel made verses 18:2-4 very plain. He specifically states that punishment is not inherited by the son (verse 19). The Lord God states that it is not his pleasure to see the wicked die, but that they should repent and live (verse 23).

Commentary: God also sent angels to help instruct people on the plan of redemption. Our lives are a time of probation to learn good and repent from evil in order to enter into the rest of the Lord in heaven.