What does God do to the 3rd & 4th generation ? visit or punish? The 10 words/ 10 commandments in light of Psalm 8:4

Front Matter

description: author: template: bible-study category: mainImage: youtube: false bible: Ps 8.4, Deut 5.9 links: steps: false

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The verses we’re looking at

Read these two verses. Consider the first verse. It is from is a sweet psalm of God’s relationship with humanity. It is applied in the new Testament as a messianic psalm about the Son of Man.

Psa 8:4 LEB what is a human being that you think of him? and a child of humankind that you care for him?

The image painted by these words is beautiful. God, the orderer of the cosmos cares for little humanity. God caring for humans is a moving thought. What word lies behind this thought? Let’s look at another verse that is well known. It is from the 10 commandments (10 words).

Deu 5:9 LEB ‘You shall not bow down to them, and you shall not serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, punishing the guilt of fathers upon their children and upon the third and upon the fourth generation of those hating me,

the word being translated “punishing” is the same word, in the same verbal pattern as the word translated “Care” above.

How is this so? Let’s dive in!

The Details

פּקד A primitive root; to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit,

תִפְקְדֶֽנּוּ V-Qal-Imperf-2ms│3mse

Verb - Qal - Imperfective - second person masculine singular │ Suffix - pronominal third person masculine singular

Psa 8:4 BIB+ מָֽה־ māh- what אֱנ֥וֹשׁ ’ĕ·nō·wōš is man כִּֽי־ kî- that תִזְכְּרֶ֑נּוּ ṯiz·kə·ren·nū You are mindful [of him] , וּבֶן־ ū·ḇen- or the son אָ֝דָ֗ם ’ā·ḏām of man כִּ֣י kî that תִפְקְדֶֽנּוּ׃ ṯip̄·qə·ḏen·nū You care for him ?

פֹּ֠קֵד V-Qal-Prtcpl-ms

Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular

Deu 5:9 BIB+ לֹא־ lō- You shall not תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥֣ה ṯiš·ta·ḥă·weh bow down לָהֶ֖ם֮ lā·hem to them וְלֹ֣א wə·lō . . . תָעָבְדֵ֑ם֒ ṯā·‘ā·ḇə·ḏêm or worship them ; כִּ֣י kî for אָנֹכִ֞י ’ā·nō·ḵî I , יְהוָ֤ה Yah·weh the LORD אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ ’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā your God , אֵ֣ל ’êl God , קַנָּ֔א qan·nā am a jealous פֹּ֠קֵד pō·qêḏ visiting עֲוֺ֨ן ‘ă·wōn the iniquity אָב֧וֹת ’ā·ḇō·wṯ of the fathers עַל־ ‘al- on בָּנִ֛ים bā·nîm their children וְעַל־ wə·‘al- . . . שִׁלֵּשִׁ֥ים šil·lê·šîm to the third וְעַל־ wə·‘al- . . . רִבֵּעִ֖ים rib·bê·‘îm and fourth [generations] לְשֹׂנְאָֽ֑י׃ lə·śō·nə·ʾå̄y of those who hate Me ,