as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them. 3 This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and...
In ancient Near Eastern culture, oaths were sacred and often invoked the divine as a witness, underscoring the gravity of the promise. by the LORDThe term "LORD" here is the tetragrammaton "יהוה" (YHWH), the personal name of God revealed to Moses. It signifies the covenantal...
Abraham's directive to his servant underscores the seriousness of the task at hand, as oaths in ancient times were binding and sacred. The act of swearing an oath, "שָׁבַע" (shava), involves invoking God's name as a witness, highlighting the spiritual weight and commitment...
To take God's name "in vain" is to use it in a way that is empty of meaning, insincere, or deceitful. This includes using God's name in oaths or promises that are not kept, as well as in casual or disrespectful speech. The command warns against trivializing the divine name, which...
(Hebrews 6:16). Nor is it absolutely prohibited under the Christian dispensation (Matthew 26:63;Romans 1:9;2 Corinthians 1:23;Philippians 1:8). "The Saviour forbids absolutely such oaths only as are hostile to the reverence that is due to God" (Tholuck, 'Serm. on the Mount;' Hodge...