But showing steadfast love is literally “and doing chesed,” using a word that means more than just “love.” It has been translated as “mercy” (King James Version), “lovingkindness” (American Standard Version), “kindness” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “faithful love” (Translator’s Old Testament), and “unchanging love” (Durham). New Revised Standard Version retains the steadfast love of Revised Standard Version, which brings out the meaning of both love and faithfulness. Throughout the Old Testament it usually refers to Yahweh’s “covenant love” for Israel.

To thousands of those who love me is literally “to thousands, to lovers of me,” using the participial form “lovers.” The word for love in this second instance is the more common ʾahav, which in its Hebrew use often goes beyond mere emotional attachment to include faithfulness. Thus it fits well in this context of the covenant relationship found in the word chesed. The Hebrew punctuation shows a pause after thousands. Therefore it is not certain what thousands refers to. In Revised Standard Version it means “thousands of lovers,” but Good News Translation has “thousands of generations of those who love me,” and this is more likely the intended meaning. Contemporary English Version echoes Good News Translation with “I will be kind to your families for thousands of generations.” New Revised Standard Version, following New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and New American Bible, has “to the thousandth generation of those who love me.” Translator’s Old Testament has “through countless generations.” And keep my commandments also uses the participle, meaning “and to keepers of my commands,” or “who observe my laws.” The word for keep is the same word for “observe” in 12.17. For commandments (mitswah) see the introduction to 20.22-26.

An alternative model for verses 5 and 6 is:

• Do not bow down to any likenesses of these gods and worship them. I am Yahweh, the God whom you serve. I will not tolerate your worshiping other gods. If you hate me, I will punish you for that sin. Not only you, but I will also punish your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. But if you love me and keep my commandments, I will steadfastly [or, faithfully] love you and your descendants for thousands of generations.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .