"Showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments." In prohibiting the worship of false gods, the second commandment by implication enjoins the worship of the true God. And to those who are faithful in His service, mercy is promised, not merely to the third and fourth generation as is the wrath threatened against those who hate Him, but to

Men i tusind led viser miskundhed mod dem, der elsker mig og holder mine bud! I forbudet mod afgudsdyrkelse i det andet bud ligger der samtidig et påbud om at tilbede den sande Gud, og lønnen for at være tro mod ham er miskundhed i tusind led. I modsætning hertil når straffen over dem, der hader ham, kun til tredje og fjerde led.