Exodus 20:6

6 and showing lovingkindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my mitzvot.

Exodus 20:6 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 20:6

And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me
And show their love by worshipping God, and him only, by serving him acceptably with reverence and godly fear, by a cheerful obedience to all his commands, by all religious exercises, both internal and external, as follows:

and keep my commandments;
not only this, but all others; for keeping these from right principles, and with right views, is an instance and evidence of love to God, see ( John 14:15 John 14:21 John 14:23 ) and to such persons he shows mercy and kindness, performs acts of grace, and bestows on them blessings of goodness; and indeed it is owing to his own grace, mercy, and kindness to them, that they do love him, and from a principle of love observe his precepts; and this is shown to thousands, to multitudes, who are blessed with such grace as to love the Lord, and keep his commandments: though rather this is to be understood of a thousand generations, and not persons, and should have been supplied, as in the preceding verse, "unto a thousand generations", God being more abundant in showing mercy, and exercising grace and goodness, than he is rigorous in inflicting punishment.

Exodus 20:6 In-Context

4 "You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the eretz beneath, or that is in the water under the eretz:

5 you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me,

6 and showing lovingkindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my mitzvot.

7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

8 "Remember the day of Shabbat, to keep it holy.