Tafsiran Ulangan 24:16: Rashi, Chizkuni, Ibn Ezra & Sforno

לא יומתו אבות על בנים FATHERS SHALL NOT BE PUT TO DEATH על בנים — i.e. by the evidence of their children. But if you say it means “for the sin of their children”, then it would be redundant for it goes on to state “every man shall be put to death for his own sin” (Sifrei Devarim 280:1; Sanhedrin 27b).

ובנים לא יומתו על אבות, “and children must not be executed for the sins of the fathers.” The Torah addresses itself to the courts. We have an example of such a dilemma facing a court, in Kings II 14,6. King Amazzia was tempted to execute the children of the assassins of his father, but the Bible compliments him for resisting this temptation by obeying the warning in our verse not to do so. While human courts are not permitted to do this, the Lord, Who knows what is in our minds at all times, is permitted to do so as when He does so, He does so because it is in the best interest of those who are treated thus. (Compare Exodus 20,5) Basically, whenever G-d does so, He had waited for generations for the new generations to become better than their fathers and grandfathers. None of these children and grandchildren would ever have been born if G-d had punished their sinful parents and grandparents, instead of extending His mercy for two more generations. They are therefore being punished for their own sins, not for the sins of their parents. (Talmud, tractate Sanhedrin 27.)

A few confused souls have inquired how it can be that Scripture asserts fathers must not be put to death ... whereas elsewhere it says “remembering the sins of the fathers ...” [Exodus 20:5], But their question is vacuous. Fathers must not be put to death is a commandment addressed to Israel, whereas “remembering the sins of the fathers” applies to the Rememberer, as I have already explained in its place [comment on Exodus 20:5].

איש בחטאו יומתו EVERY MAN SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH FOR HIS OWN SIN — This suggests: but one who is not yet an איש, a man, does sometimes die on account of his father’s sins: little children sometimes die at the hands of Heaven because of their parents’ sins (Sifrei Devarim 280:3).