Biblical Contradictions - Exodus 20:5 & Ezekiel 18:20

Exodus 20:4-6King James Version (KJV)

4 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 shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Ezekiel 18:19-21King James Version (KJV)

19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.

20 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.

21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

So here is another 'contradiction' that is simply a case of not reading context at all. We see that in Ex 20:5 God says he will essentially curse 4 generations if a father worships another idol, but notice it says "of them that hate me." Right after this he says he will still show mercy unto "thousands of them that love me.."

In Ezekiel we see that a curse won't be upon the son's of a sinner. Without context it seems contradictory, but it's saying the law abiding son won't be held to a curse. This is simply a message of Hope to those who repent, not a contradiction at all. Nice try though! :)