Leviticus 26:40
If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me;
Study Note
Study Note
The conditions for covenant restoration — 'if they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me' — introduce a generational dimension to confession that extends penitence beyond individual sin to inherited covenant failure. The phrase 'confess the iniquity of their fathers' does not imply vicarious guilt for ancestors' sin but a recognising of one's location within a continuing pattern of rebellion — the corporate solidarity of covenant community in failure. Nehemiah 9:2 ('they stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers') and Daniel 9:8-11 ('we have sinned…as it is written in the law of Moses') model exactly this generational-confessional prayer pattern. The verse grounds the prophetic promise of Ezekiel 36:25-27 (cleansing and new spirit) and the Christian practice of corporate repentance that acknowledges inherited as well as personal sin.
Other Translations
And they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, in their trespass which they trespassed against me, and also that, because they walked contrary unto me,
`And--they have confessed their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, in their trespass which they have trespassed against Me, and also, that they have walked with Me, in opposition,
And they will have grief for their sins and for the sins of their fathers, when their hearts were untrue to me, and they went against me;
Cross References
And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues …
Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.
And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me;
Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for …
Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, …
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(For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the …
And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which …
That then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather …
And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make …