Is there a concept of a family curse, aka, a generational curse, in the Bible? The answer is yes. However, it is crucial to study this topic thoroughly and not stop at the first discovery. Stay with me for 8 minutes, and I’ll explain.

Created: Sunday, April 14, 2024

Family Curse: Does It Really Exist in the Bible?

STM Bible Snack

God did not use the word curse, but there is a family curse in the Ten Commandments. So, is this curse still in effect? Keep reading!

Exodus 20:4-6 [read Exodus 20:1-17 (4-6)]: “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. 6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. (NLT); KJV: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

It punished the descendants

Deuteronomy 5:9-10 [read Deuteronomy 5:6-21 (9-10); compare Deuteronomy 24:5-22 (16); Numbers 14:11-45 (18); 2 Kings 14:1-22 (6); 2 Chronicles 25:1-28 (4)]: You must not worship or serve any idol, because I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.If people sin against me and hate me, I will punish their children, even their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 10 But I will be very kind for a thousand lifetimes to those who love me and obey my commands. (NCV); KJV: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, 10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

According to the Jewish Virtual Library, the Ten Commandments are part of the Law of Moses (Jewish Law).

God makes the curse clear

The Israelites complained because God punished them for the sins of their parents. So He explained:

Ezekiel 18:20 [read Ezekiel 18:19-32 (20)]: Only those who sin will be put to death. Children won’t suffer for the sins of their parents, and parents won’t suffer for the sins of their children. Good people will be rewarded for what they do, and evil people will be punished for what they do. (CEV); KJV: The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

The Law’s Family Curse Ended with Christ

Keep in mind that the Law of Moses includes the Ten Commandments!
Galatians 3:13 [read 10-14 (13)]: Christ bought us back from the curse [caused by our not obeying all the requirements] of the law of Moses; He became a curse for us [by dying on the cross], for it is written [Deuteronomy 21:23], “Every one who hangs on a tree [i.e., a cross] is cursed [i.e., cut off from God].” (AUV); KJV: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

God’s Righteousness Through Faith

Romans 3:24-26 [read Romans 3:21-26 (24-26)]: People are made right with God by his grace, which is a free gift. They are made right with God by being made free from sin through Jesus Christ. 25 God sent him to die in our place to take away our sins. We receive forgiveness through faith. And all of this is because of the blood of Jesus’ death. This showed that God always does what is right and fair. God was right in the past when he was patient and did not punish people for their sins. 26 And God gave Jesus to show today that God does what is right. God did this so that he could judge rightly and also make right any person who has faith in Jesus. (ICB); KJV: Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

The Lord’s Sacrifice Frees Us From All Sins

Ephesians 1:7 [read Ephesians 1:3-14 (7)]: He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. (NLT); KJV: In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

God will cleanse us from all wrongs

1 John 1:9 [read 1 John 1:5-10 (9)]: If we tell Him our sins, He is faithful and we can depend on Him to forgive us of our sins. He will make our lives clean from all sin. (TLV); KJV: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

So, you see, there was a family curse under the Mosaic Law. However, that curse and all curses imposed by the Law do not affect us today. First, Jesus became a curse for us by hanging on the cross. Second, God forgives our sins, including the sins of our ancestors, through Christ and His sacrifice. Thank you for taking the time to read this Bible snack. I urge you to make full use of it. Blessings to you and your loved ones—♥ Tim. ☺