Exodus 20:5

A jealous God] Human jealousy is usually of an ignoble kind, the fruit of suspicion. But there is a holy jealousy, the pain of wounded love. The heart of God is grieved when His love is rewarded with indifference and unfaithfulness. He will brook no rival in the affections of His people: see Deuteronomy 32:16; Psalms 78:58; Isaiah 42:8, and on chapter Exodus 34:15.

Unto the third and fourth generation] RV 'upon..' It is a law of the divine government that the penalty of one man's sins is shared by those connected with him: cp. Joshua 22:20. If this seem hard it must be remembered that the law cuts both ways. The benefits of a man's good deeds are likewise distributed over a large area. We cannot enjoy the one result without taking the risk of the other. The law relates, however, only to the consequences of sin, not its guilt. The latter adheres to the sinner personally: cp. Ezekiel 18:2.