Exodus 20:5

You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Read all of Exodus 20

5 songs meet this passage

  • Numb · LINKIN PARK

    resonates with Exodus 20:5

    The song recognizes a cycle of inherited disappointment passed between generations, echoing the biblical awareness that patterns of sin and hurt can be passed down.

  • “I guess the apple don't fall far from the tree”

    Apple · Charli xcx

    resonates with Exodus 20:5

    The song names the uncomfortable truth Scripture also acknowledges, that patterns and brokenness pass through generations, without excusing them.

  • “I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies”

    Take Me to Church · Hozier

    strains against Exodus 20:3-5

    The deliberate choice to worship something known to be false ('lies') is a knowing embrace of idolatry, the very thing the first commandment warns against.

  • Ordinary · Alex Warren

    strains against Exodus 20:3-5

    Altars and prayer belong to worship of God; directing them at a romantic partner edges into treating the relationship as an idol.

  • “I'll be your idol”

    Your Idol · Saja Boys, Andrew Choi, Neckwav, Danny Chung, KEVIN WOO, samUIL Lee & KPop Demon Hunters Cast

    strains against Exodus 20:3-5

    The song's core line is a direct inversion of the first commandment, openly claiming the worship owed to God alone.

Each reading weighs one song’s words against Scripture. It is AI-assisted and can be wrong; open a song to see its whole reading and decide for yourself.

Elsewhere in Exodus 20