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You shall not make any carved image for yourself or a likeness of anything in heaven above, on the earth below, or in the waters under the earth. Do not bow down to them or be subservient to[a] them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God.[b] I follow up on[c] the guilt of the fathers with their children, their grandchildren, and their great-grandchildren if they also hate me. 10 But I show mercy to thousands who love me and keep my commandments.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 5:9 The Hebrew verb for to serve is written as a passive form to give it a derogatory tone.
  2. Deuteronomy 5:9 That is, a God who demands exclusive loyalty
  3. Deuteronomy 5:9 Or demand an accounting for. The Hebrew verb pachad has traditionally been translated visit, but in modern English visit has a social connotation. The term, however, refers to an official visit to bring punishment or reward to someone.

“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.(A) You 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(B) to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,(C) 10 but showing love to a thousand(D) generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.(E)

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