Question 116
Section 5: The third Part is of Man’s Thankfulness
May a Man swear religiously and lawfully, by the Name of God?
He may when as either the lawful Magistrate exacteth it, or otherwise necessity requireth it: by this means the Faith and Truth of any Man, or thing to be ratified and established, whereby both the Glory of God may be advanced, and the safety of others procured: for this kind of Swearing isa ordained by God’s Word, and therefore was wellb used of the Fathers both in the old and new Testament.
May a Man swear religiously and lawfully, by the Name of God?
He may when as either the lawful Magistrate exacts it, or otherwise necessity requires it: by this means the Faith and Truth of any Man, or thing to be ratified and established, whereby both the Glory of God may be advanced, and the safety of others procured: for this kind of Swearing isa ordained by God’s Word, and therefore was wellb used of the Fathers both in the old and new Testament.
a. Deuteronomy 6:13; Deuteronomy 10:20; Isaiah 48:1; Hebrews 6:16
Deuteronomy 6:13
6:13 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.
6:13 Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name.
Deuteronomy 10:20
10:20 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.
10:20 You are to fear the LORD your God and serve Him. Hold fast to Him and take your oaths in His name.
Isaiah 48:1
48:1 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness.
48:1 "Listen to this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, who have descended from the line of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD, who invoke the God of Israel-but not in truth or righteousness-
Hebrews 6:16
6:16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
6:16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.
King James VersionBerean Standard Bible
b. Genesis 21:24; Genesis 31; Joshua 9:15,19; 2 Samuel 3:35; 1 Kings 1:29; Romans 1:9
Genesis 21:24
21:24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
21:24 And Abraham replied, "I swear it."
Genesis 31
31:1 And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s; and of that which was our father’s hath he gotten all this glory. 31:2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. 31:3 And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee. 31:4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock, 31:5 And said unto them, I see your father’s countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me. 31:6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father. 31:7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me. 31:8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked. 31:9 Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me. 31:10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled. 31:11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I. 31:12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. 31:13 I am the God of Beth–el, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred. 31:14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? 31:15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money. 31:16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children’s: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do. 31:17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; 31:18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padan–aram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. 31:19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s. 31:20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. 31:21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead. 31:22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled. 31:23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days’ journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead. 31:24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. 31:25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead. 31:26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword? 31:27 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp? 31:28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing. 31:29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. 31:30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father’s house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? 31:31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me. 31:32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them. 31:33 And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the two maidservants’ tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent. 31:34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel’s furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not. 31:35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the images. 31:36 And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me? 31:37 Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both. 31:38 This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten. 31:39 That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. 31:40 Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes. 31:41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times. 31:42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight. 31:43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born? 31:44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee. 31:45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. 31:46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap. 31:47 And Laban called it Jegar–sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed. 31:48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; 31:49 And Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another. 31:50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee. 31:51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee; 31:52 This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm. 31:53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac. 31:54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount. 31:55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.
31:1 Now Jacob heard that Laban's sons were saying, "Jacob has taken away all that belonged to our father and built all this wealth at our father's expense." 31:2 And Jacob saw from the countenance of Laban that his attitude toward him had changed. 31:3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Go back to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you." 31:4 So Jacob sent word and called Rachel and Leah to the field where his flocks were, 31:5 and he told them, "I can see from your father's countenance that his attitude toward me has changed; but the God of my father has been with me. 31:6 You know that I have served your father with all my strength. 31:7 And although he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, God has not allowed him to harm me. 31:8 If he said, 'The speckled will be your wages,' then the whole flock bore speckled offspring. If he said, 'The streaked will be your wages,' then the whole flock bore streaked offspring. 31:9 Thus God has taken away your father's livestock and given them to me. 31:10 When the flocks were breeding, I saw in a dream that the streaked, spotted, and speckled males were mating with the females. 31:11 In that dream the angel of God said to me, 'Jacob!' And I replied, 'Here I am.' 31:12 'Look up,' he said, 'and see that all the males that are mating with the flock are streaked, spotted, or speckled; for I have seen all that Laban has done to you. 31:13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and made a solemn vow to Me. Now get up and leave this land at once, and return to your native land.'" 31:14 And Rachel and Leah replied, "Do we have any portion or inheritance left in our father's house? 31:15 Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? Not only has he sold us, but he has certainly squandered what was paid for us. 31:16 Surely all the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has told you." 31:17 Then Jacob got up and put his children and his wives on camels, 31:18 and he drove all his livestock before him, along with all the possessions he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land in Canaan. 31:19 Now while Laban was out shearing his sheep, Rachel stole her father's household idols. 31:20 Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was running away. 31:21 So he fled with all his possessions, crossed the Euphrates, and headed for the hill country of Gilead. 31:22 On the third day Laban was informed that Jacob had fled. 31:23 So he took his relatives with him, pursued Jacob for seven days, and overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. 31:24 But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad." 31:25 Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there as well. 31:26 Then Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done? You have deceived me and carried off my daughters like captives of war! 31:27 Why did you run away secretly and deceive me, without even telling me? I would have sent you away with joy and singing, with tambourines and harps. 31:28 But you did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. Now you have done a foolish thing. 31:29 I have power to do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me, 'Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.' 31:30 Now you have gone off because you long for your father's house. But why have you stolen my gods?" 31:31 "I was afraid," Jacob answered, "for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force. 31:32 If you find your gods with anyone here, he shall not live! In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself if anything is yours, and take it back." For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols. 31:33 So Laban went into Jacob's tent, then Leah's tent, and then the tents of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah's tent and entered Rachel's tent. 31:34 Now Rachel had taken Laban's household idols, put them in the saddlebag of her camel, and was sitting on them. And Laban searched everything in the tent but found nothing. 31:35 Rachel said to her father, "Sir, do not be angry that I cannot stand up before you; for I am having my period." So Laban searched, but could not find the household idols. 31:36 Then Jacob became incensed and challenged Laban. "What is my crime?" he said. "For what sin of mine have you so hotly pursued me? 31:37 You have searched all my goods! Have you found anything that belongs to you? Put it here before my brothers and yours, that they may judge between the two of us. 31:38 I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock. 31:39 I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or night. 31:40 As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes. 31:41 Thus for twenty years I have served in your household-fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks-and you have changed my wages ten times! 31:42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely by now you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and last night He rendered judgment." 31:43 But Laban answered Jacob, "These daughters are my daughters, these sons are my sons, and these flocks are my flocks! Everything you see is mine! Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine or the children they have borne? 31:44 Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between you and me." 31:45 So Jacob picked out a stone and set it up as a pillar, 31:46 and he said to his relatives, "Gather some stones." So they took stones and made a mound, and there by the mound they ate. 31:47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed. 31:48 Then Laban declared, "This mound is a witness between you and me this day." Therefore the place was called Galeed. 31:49 It was also called Mizpah, because Laban said, "May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are absent from each other. 31:50 If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives, although no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me." 31:51 Laban also said to Jacob, "Here is the mound, and here is the pillar I have set up between you and me. 31:52 This mound is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this mound to harm you, and you will not go past this mound and pillar to harm me. 31:53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac. 31:54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal. And after they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain. 31:55 Early the next morning, Laban got up and kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then he left to return home.
Joshua 9:15; Joshua 9:19
9:15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them. 9:19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.
9:15 And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them. 9:19 All the leaders answered, "We have sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them.
2 Samuel 3:35
3:35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.
3:35 Then all the people came and urged David to eat something while it was still day, but David took an oath, saying, "May God punish me, and ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!"
1 Kings 1:29
1:29 And the king sware, and said, As the Lord liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,
1:29 And the king swore an oath, saying, "As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress,
Romans 1:9
1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
1:9 God, whom I serve with my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you
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