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- God reserved his right to punish multiple generations of the Israelites, Deuteronomy 5:
The Hebrew keyword is visiting, not necessarily punishing. For example, the descendants of Adam and Eve did experience the negative natural/physical consequences of their parents' sins. See also My take on Original Sin.8 “‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 9 You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
2. In terms of the civil code, Israelite judges were not allowed to deal out such punishment, Deuteronomy 24:
3. In terms of the death penalty, Ezekiel 18:16“Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin.
It could be physical death or eternal death.4 For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die.
20 The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.
This chapter hints at the judgment of eternal life in the NT. This means that the descendants of Adam and Eve will be judged individually by their sins. Regarding eternal judgment, each person is responsible for his own sins. Your father's sins will not condemn you to eternality.30 “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!
Jeremiah also alluded to eternal judgment in chapter 31:
These are three different kinds of judgments.29In those days they shall no longer say:
“‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’
30 But everyone shall die for his own iniquity. Each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.
Would children be punished because of their father's sins?
No, by the civic code, children were not to be punished for their father's crimes.
No, children were not condemned to eternal death for their father's sins.
Children were punished indirectly by the environment that their fathers had generated.