Exodus 20:3 — Meaning and Application

And God spake all these words, saying,

I {am} the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. {bondage: Heb. servants}

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

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:

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;