Bible Encyclopedia: Oath

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

OATH

oth (shebhu`ah, probably from shebha`, "seven," the sacred number, which occurs frequently in the ritual of an oath; horkos; and the stronger word 'alah, by which a curse is actually invoked upon the oath-breaker Septuagint ara)): In Matthew 26:70-74 Peter first denies his Lord simply, then with an oath (shebhu`ah), then invokes a curse ('alah), thus passing through every stage of asseveration.

1. Law Regarding Oaths:

The oath is the invoking of a curse upon one's self if one has not spoken the truth (Matthew 26:74), or if one fails to keep a promise (1 Samuel 19:6; 1 Samuel 20:17 2 Samuel 15:21; 2 Samuel 19:23). It played a very important part, not only in lawsuits (Exodus 22:11 Leviticus 6:3, 5) and state affairs (Ant., XV, x, 4), but also in the dealings of everyday life (Genesis 24:37; Genesis 50:5 Judges 21:5 1 Kings 18:10 Ezra 10:5). The Mosaic laws concerning oaths were not meant to limit the widespread custom of making oaths, so much as to impress upon the people the sacredness of an oath, forbidding on the one hand swearing falsely (Exodus 20:7 Leviticus 19:12 Zechariah 8:17, etc.), and on the other swearing by false gods, which latter was considered to be a very dark sin (Jeremiah 12:16 Amos 8:14). In the Law only two kinds of false swearing are mentioned: false swearing of a witness, and false asseveration upon oath regarding a thing found or received (Leviticus 5:1; Leviticus 6:2;; compare Proverbs 29:24). Both required a sin offering (Leviticus 5:1). The Talmud gives additional rules, and lays down certain punishments for false swearing; in the case of a thing found it states what the false swearer must pay (Makkoth 2 3; Shebhu`oth 8 3). The Jewish interpretation of the 3rd commandment is that it is not concerned with oaths, but rather forbids the use of the name of Yahweh in ordinary cases (so Dalman).

2. Forms of Swearing:

Swearing in the name of the Lord (Genesis 14:22 Deuteronomy 6:13 Judges 21:7 Ruth 1:17, etc.) was a sign of loyalty to Him (Deuteronomy 10:20 Isaiah 48:11 Jeremiah 12:16). We know from Scripture (see above) that swearing by false gods was frequent, and we learn also from the newly discovered Elephantine papyrus that the people not only swore by Jahu (= Yahweh) or by the Lord of Heaven, but also among a certain class of other gods, e.g. by Herem-Bethel, and by Isum. In ordinary intercourse it was customary to swear by the life of the person addressed (1 Samuel 1:26; 1 Samuel 20:3 2 Kings 2:2); by the life of the king (1 Samuel 17:55; 1 Samuel 25:26 2 Samuel 11:11); by one's own head (Matthew 5:36); by the earth (Matthew 5:35); by the heaven (Matthew 5:34; Matthew 23:22); by the angels (BJ, II, xvi, 4); by the temple (Matthew 23:16), and by different parts of it (Matthew 23:16); by Jerusalem (Matthew 5:35; compare Kethubhoth 2:9). The oath "by heaven" (Matthew 5:34; Matthew 23:22) is counted by Jesus as the oath in which God's name is invoked. Jesus does not mean that God and heaven are identical, but He desires to rebuke those who paltered with an oath by avoiding a direct mention of a name of God. He teaches that such an oath is a real oath and must be considered as sacredly binding.

3. The Formula:

Not much is told us as to the ceremonies observed in taking an oath. In patriarchal times he who took the oath put his hand under the thigh of him to whom the oath was taken (Genesis 24:2; Genesis 47:29). The most usual form was to hold up the hand to heaven (Genesis 14:22 Exodus 6:8 Deuteronomy 32:40 Ezekiel 20:5). The wife suspected of unfaithfulness, when brought before the priest, had to answer "Amen, Amen" to his adjuration, and this was considered to be an oath on her part (Numbers 5:22). The usual formula of an oath was either: "God is witness betwixt me and thee" (Genesis 31:50), or more commonly: "As Yahweh (or God) liveth" (Judges 8:19 Ruth 3:13 2 Samuel 2:27 Jeremiah 38:16); or "Yahweh be a true and faithful witness amongst us" (Jeremiah 42:5). Usually the penalty invoked by the oath was only suggested: "Yahweh (or God) do so to me" (Ruth 1:17 2 Samuel 3:9, 35 1 Kings 2:23 2 Kings 6:31); in some cases the punishment was expressly mentioned (Jeremiah 29:22). Nowack suggests that in general the punishment was not expressly mentioned because of a superstitious fear that the person swearing, although speaking the truth, might draw upon himself some of the punishment by merely mentioning it.

Philo expresses the desire (ii.194) that the practice of swearing should be discontinued, and the Essenes used no oaths (BJ, II, viii, 6; Ant., XV, x, 4).

4. Oaths Permissible:

That oaths are permissible to Christians is shown by the example of our Lord (Matthew 26:63 f), and of Paul (2 Corinthians 1:23 Galatians 1:20) and even of God Himself (Hebrews 6:13-18). Consequently when Christ said, "Swear not at all" (Matthew 5:34), He was laying down the principle that the Christian must not have two standards of truth, but that his ordinary speech must be as sacredly true as his oath. In the kingdom of God, where that principle holds sway, oaths become unnecessary.

Paul Levertoff

Greek

3728. horkomosia -- affirmation on oath
... affirmation on oath. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: horkomosia
Phonetic Spelling: (hor-ko-mos-ee'ah) Short Definition: the taking of an oath ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3728.htm - 6k

3660. omnuo -- to swear, take an oath
... to swear, take an oath. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: omnuo Phonetic Spelling:
(om-noo'-o) Short Definition: I swear, take an oath Definition: I swear ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3660.htm - 7k

3727. horkos -- an oath
... horkos. 3728 . an oath. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: horkos
Phonetic Spelling: (hor'-kos) Short Definition: an oath Definition: an oath. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3727.htm - 6k

1844. exorkizo -- to administer an oath, to adjure
... to administer an oath, to adjure. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: exorkizo
Phonetic Spelling: (ex-or-kid'-zo) Short Definition: I adjure, put to oath ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1844.htm - 7k

332. anathematizo -- to declare anathema, devote to destruction
... Word Origin from anathema Definition to declare anathema, devote to destruction
NASB Word Usage bound...under...oath (1), bound...under a curse (2), bound ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/332.htm - 7k

3726. horkizo -- to make (one) swear, to adjure
... solemnly by. 3726 (from 3727 , "an oath") -- properly, make someone swear
(as in Xenophon, Polybius); (), ie to bind . Word Origin ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3726.htm - 6k

1964. epiorkeo -- to swear falsely
... to swear falsely. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: epiorkeo Phonetic Spelling:
(ep-ee-or-keh'-o) Short Definition: I take an oath, swear falsely Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1964.htm - 6k

1965. epiorkos -- sworn falsely, a perjurer
... perjurer. From epi and horkos; on oath, ie (falsely) a forswearer -- perjured person.
see GREEK epi. see GREEK horkos. (epiorkois) -- 1 Occurrence. 1964, 1965 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1965.htm - 6k

2652. katanathema -- curse.
... 2652 (from 2596 , "according to, ," intensifying 331 , "a curse") -- properly, an;
an oath-curse which "devotes something to" (literally, to take it ). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2652.htm - 6k

1845. exorkistes -- an exorcist
... exorcist. From exorkizo; one that binds by an oath (or spell), ie (by implication)
an "exorcist" (conjurer) -- exorcist. see GREEK exorkizo. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1845.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

7621. shebuah -- an oath, curse
... 7620, 7621. shebuah or shebuah. 7622 . an oath, curse. Transliteration: shebuah
or shebuah Phonetic Spelling: (sheb-oo-aw') Short Definition: oath. ...
/hebrew/7621.htm - 6k

423. alah -- an oath
... 422, 423. alah. 424 . an oath. Transliteration: alah Phonetic Spelling:
(aw-law') Short Definition: oath. Word Origin from alah ...
/hebrew/423.htm - 6k

472. Elisheba -- "God is an oath," the wife of Aaron
... 471, 472. Elisheba. 473 . "God is an oath," the wife of Aaron. Transliteration:
Elisheba Phonetic Spelling: (el-ee-sheh'-bah) Short Definition: Elisheba. ...
/hebrew/472.htm - 6k

1339. Bath-sheba -- perhaps "daughter of oath," the mother of ...
... perhaps "daughter of oath," the mother of Solomon. Transliteration: Bath-sheba
Phonetic Spelling: (bath-sheh'-bah) Short Definition: Bathsheba. ...
/hebrew/1339.htm - 6k

3089. Yehosheba -- "the LORD is an oath," wife of Jehoiada the ...
... "the LORD is an oath," wife of Jehoiada the priest. Transliteration: Yehosheba Phonetic
Spelling: (yeh-ho-sheh'-bah) Short Definition: Jehosheba. ...
/hebrew/3089.htm - 6k

7650. shaba -- to swear
... denominative verb from sheba Definition to swear NASB Word Usage adjure (6), curse
(1), exchanged oaths (1), made a covenant (1), made an oath (1), promised on ...
/hebrew/7650.htm - 6k

422. alah -- to swear, curse
... root Definition to swear, curse NASB Word Usage oaths (1), put the under oath (1),
swearing (1), take (2), takes an oath (2), under oath (1), uttered a curse (1 ...
/hebrew/422.htm - 6k

884. Beer Sheba -- "well of seven," a place in the Negev
... Beer-shebah. From 'er and sheba' (in the sense of shaba'); well of an oath;
Beer-Sheba, a place in Palestine -- Beer-shebah. see HEBREW 'er. see HEBREW sheba'. ...
/hebrew/884.htm - 6k

1697. dabar -- speech, word
... 1), harm (1), harm* (1), idea (1), instructed (1), instructions (2), manner (7),
matter (45), matters (2), message (18), nothing* (21), oath (1), obligations (1 ...
/hebrew/1697.htm - 8k

Library

Whether an Oath Added to the Consent that is Expressed in Words of ...
... OF THE CONSENT TO WHICH AN OATH OR CARNAL INTERCOURSE IS APPENDED (TWO ARTICLES)
Whether an oath added to the consent that is expressed in words of the future ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether an oath added to.htm

Of the Consent to which an Oath or Carnal Intercourse is Appended ...
... OF THE CONSENT TO WHICH AN OATH OR CARNAL INTERCOURSE IS APPENDED (TWO ARTICLES).
We must now consider the consent to which an oath ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/of the consent to which.htm

Whether an Oath is Voided by a Condition of Person or Time?
... OF OATHS (TEN ARTICLES) Whether an oath is voided by a condition of person
or time? Objection 1: It would seem that an oath is not ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether an oath is voided.htm

The National Oath at Shechem
... THE BOOK OF JOSHUA THE NATIONAL OATH AT SHECHEM. 'And Joshua said unto the
people. Ye cannot serve the Lord: for He is an holy God ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the national oath at shechem.htm

Whether Anyone Can Dispense from an Oath?
... OF OATHS (TEN ARTICLES) Whether anyone can dispense from an oath? Objection
1: It would seem that no one can dispense from an oath. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether anyone can dispense from.htm

Whether Three Accompanying Conditions of an Oath are Suitably ...
... OF OATHS (TEN ARTICLES) Whether three accompanying conditions of an oath
are suitably assigned, namely, justice, judgment, and truth? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether three accompanying conditions of.htm

Whether He Sins who Demands an Oath of a Perjurer?
... OF PERJURY (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether he sins who demands an oath of a perjurer? ... Therefore
nowise seemingly should one enjoin an oath on another person. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether he sins who demands.htm

Whether an Oath is an Act of Religion or Latria?
... OF OATHS (TEN ARTICLES) Whether an oath is an act of religion or latria? Objection
1: It would seem that an oath is not an act of religion, or latria. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether an oath is an.htm

Whether an Oath is More Binding than a Vow?
... OF OATHS (TEN ARTICLES) Whether an oath is more binding than a vow? Objection
1: It would seem that an oath is more binding than a vow. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether an oath is more.htm

Whether an Oath Has a Binding Force?
... OF OATHS (TEN ARTICLES) Whether an oath has a binding force? Objection 1:
It would seem that an oath has no binding force. An oath ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether an oath has a.htm

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Oath

The principle on which an oath is held to be binding is incidentally laid down in (Hebrews 6:16) viz. as an ultimate appeal to divine authority to ratify an assertion. On the same principle, that oath has always been held most binding which appealed to the highest authority, as regards both individuals and communities. As a consequence of this principle, appeals to God's name on the one hand, and to heathen deities on the other, are treated in scripture as tests of allegiance. (Exodus 23:13; 34:6; 29:12) etc. So also the sovereign's name is sometimes used as a form of obligation. (Genesis 42:15; 2 Samuel 11:11; 14:19) Other forms of oath, serious or frivolous, are mentioned, some of which are condemned by our Lord. (Matthew 6:33; 23:16-22) and see (James 5:12) (There is, however, a world-wide difference between a solemn appeal to God and profane swearing.) The forms of adjuration mentioned in Scripture are --

Lifting up the hand. Witnesses laid their hands on the head of the accused. (Genesis 14:22; Leviticus 24:14; 17:7; Isaiah 3:7)
Putting the hand under the thigh of the person to whom the Promise was made. (Genesis 24:2; 47:29)
Oaths were sometimes taken before the altar, or, as some understand the passage, if the persons were not in Jerusalem, in a position looking toward the temple. (1 Kings 8:31; 2 Chronicles 6:22)
Dividing a victim and passing between or distributing the pieces. (Genesis 15:10,17; Jeremiah 34:18) As the sanctity of oaths was carefully inculcated by the law, so the crime of perjury was strongly condemned; and to a false witness the same punishment was assigned which was due for the crime to which he testified. (Exodus 20:7; Leviticus 19:12)

ATS Bible Dictionary

Oath

A solemn affirmation accompanied by an appeal to the Supreme Being. God has prohibited all false oaths, and all useless and customary swearing in ordinary discourse; but when the necessity or importance of a matter requires an oath, he allows men to swear by his name, Exodus 22:11 Le 5:1. To swear by a false god was an act of idolatry, Jeremiah 5:7 12:16.

Among the Hebrews an oath was administered by the judge, who stood up, and adjured the party who was to be sworn. In this manner our Lord was adjured by Caiaphas, Matthew 26:63. Jesus had remained silent under long examination, when the high priest, rising up, knowing he had a sure mode of obtaining an answer said, "I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ." To this oath, thus solemnly administered, Jesus replied that he was indeed the Messiah.

An oath is a solemn appeal to God, as to an all-seeing witness that what we say is true, and an almighty avenger if what we say be false, Hebrews 6:16. Its force depends upon our conviction of the infinite justice of God; that he will not hold those guiltless who take his name in vain; and that the loss of his favor immeasurable outweighs all that could be gained by false witness. It is an act of religious worship; on which account God requires it to be taken in his name, De 10:20, and points out the manner in which it ought to be administered, and the duty of the person who swears, Exodus 22:11 De 6:18 Psalm 15:4 24:4. Hence atheists, who profess to believe that there is no God, and persons who do not believe in a future state of reward and punishment, cannot consistently take an oath. In their mouths an oath can be only profane mockery.

God himself is represented as confirming his promise by oath, and thus conforming to what is practiced among men, Hebrews 6:13,16-17. The oaths forbidden in Matthew 5:34-35 James 5:12, must refer to the unthinking, hasty, and vicious practices of the Jews; otherwise Paul would have acted against the command of Christ, Romans 1:9 Galatians 1:20 2 1 Corinthians 1:23. That person is obliged to take an oath whose duty requires him to declare the truth in the most solemn and judicial manner; though undoubtedly oaths are too often administered unnecessarily and irreverently, and taken with but slight consciousness of the responsibility thus assumed. As we are bound to manifest every possible degree of reverence towards God, the greatest care is to be taken that we swear neither rashly nor negligently in making promises. To neglect performance is perjury, unless the promise be contrary to the law of nature and of God; in which case no oath is binding. See CORBAN, and VOWS.

A customary formula of taking an oath was "The Lord do so to me, and more also;" that is, the lord slay me, as the victim sacrificed on many such occasions was slain, and punish me even more than this, if I speak not the truth, Ruth 1:17 1 Samuel 3:17. Similar phrases are these: "As the Lord liveth," Jud 8:19 "Before God I lie not," Romans 9:1; "I say the truth in Christ," 1 Timothy 2:7; "God is my record," Php 1...8. Several acts are alluded to as accompaniments of an oath; as putting the hand under the thigh, Genesis 24:2 47:29; and raising the hand towards heaven, Genesis 14:22,23 De 32:40 Revelation 10:5.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

A solemn appeal to God, permitted on fitting occasions (Deuteronomy 6:13; Jeremiah 4:2), in various forms (Genesis 16:5; 2 Samuel 12:5; Ruth 1:17; Hosea 4:15; Romans 1:9), and taken in different ways (Genesis 14:22; 24:2; 2 Chronicles 6:22). God is represented as taking an oath (Hebrews 6:16-18), so also Christ (Matthew 26:64), and Paul (Romans 9:1; Galatians 1:20; Philippians 1:8). The precept, "Swear not at all," refers probably to ordinary conversation between man and man (Matthew 5:34, 37). But if the words are taken as referring to oaths, then their intention may have been to show "that the proper state of Christians is to require no oaths; that when evil is expelled from among them every yea and nay will be as decisive as an oath, every promise as binding as a vow."

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) A solemn affirmation or declaration, made with a reverent appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed.

2. (n.) A solemn affirmation, connected with a sacred object, or one regarded as sacred, as the temple, the altar, the blood of Abel, the Bible, the Koran, etc.

3. (n.) An appeal (in verification of a statement made) to a superior sanction, in such a form as exposes the party making the appeal to an indictment for perjury if the statement be false.

4. (n.) A careless and blasphemous use of the name of the divine Being, or anything divine or sacred, by way of appeal or as a profane exclamation or ejaculation; an expression of profane swearing.

Thesaurus

Oath (286 Occurrences)
... God is represented as taking an oath (Hebrews 6:16-18), so also Christ (Matthew
26:64), and Paul (Romans 9:1; Galatians 1:20; Philippians 1:8). The precept ...OATH. ...
/o/oath.htm - 47k

Oath's (2 Occurrences)
...Oath's (2 Occurrences). ... Mark 6:26 And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's
sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. ...
/o/oath's.htm - 6k

Adjuration (2 Occurrences)
... A solemn appeal whereby one person imposes on another the obligation of speaking
or acting as if under an oath (1 Samuel 14:24; Joshua 6:26; 1 Kings 22:16). ...
/a/adjuration.htm - 10k

Undertaking (30 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Numbers 30:2 When a man takes an oath to the Lord, or gives an undertaking
having the force of an oath, let him not go back from his word, but let him do ...
/u/undertaking.htm - 15k

Takes (380 Occurrences)
... Matthew 23:16 A curse is on you, blind guides, who say, Whoever takes an oath by
the Temple, it is nothing; but whoever takes an oath by the gold of the Temple ...
/t/takes.htm - 34k

Adjure (16 Occurrences)
... Numbers 5:21 then the priest shall adjure the woman with the oath of cursing, and
the priest shall say unto the woman: Jehovah make thee a curse and an oath...
/a/adjure.htm - 11k

Swearing (17 Occurrences)
... FALSE SWEARING; FALSE WITNESS. See OATH; PERJURY; CRIMES. SWEARING. swar'-ing. See
OATH; PERJURY; CRIMES; PUNISHMENTS. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/s/swearing.htm - 12k

Quit (12 Occurrences)
... Genesis 24:8 And if the woman be not willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be
quit of this my oath: only, bring not my son thither again. (DBY YLT). ...
/q/quit.htm - 13k

Acquitted (24 Occurrences)
... Genesis 24:8 and if the woman be not willing to come after thee, then thou hast
been acquitted from this mine oath: only my son thou dost not cause to turn ...
/a/acquitted.htm - 13k

Swears (16 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 5:4 "'Or if anyone swears rashly with his lips to do evil, or to do good,
whatever it is that a man might utter rashly with an oath, and it is hidden ...
/s/swears.htm - 11k

Bible Concordance

Oath (286 Occurrences)

Matthew 5:33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
(Root in KJV ASV BBE WBS YLT NIV)

Matthew 5:34 But I say to you, Take no oaths at all: not by the heaven, because it is the seat of God;
(Root in BBE NAS)

Matthew 5:36 You may not take an oath by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black.
(BBE NAS)

Matthew 14:7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Matthew 14:9 The king was grieved, but for the sake of his oaths, and of those who sat at the table with him, he commanded it to be given,
(Root in WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Matthew 23:16 "Alas for you, you blind guides, who say, "'Whoever swears by the Sanctuary it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the Sanctuary, is bound by the oath.'
(WEY BBE RSV NIV)

Matthew 23:18 And you say, "'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the offering lying on it is bound by the oath.'
(WEY BBE RSV NIV)

Matthew 23:20 He, then, who takes an oath by the altar, takes it by the altar and by all things on it.
(BBE)

Matthew 23:21 And he who takes an oath by the Temple, takes it by the Temple and by him whose house it is.
(BBE)

Matthew 23:22 And he who takes an oath by heaven, takes it by the seat of God, and by him who is seated on it.
(BBE)

Matthew 26:63 Jesus however remained silent. Again the High Priest addressed Him. "In the name of the ever-living God," he said, "I now put you on your oath. Tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God."
(WEY BBE NIV)

Matthew 26:72 Again he denied it with an oath, "I don't know the man."
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Mark 6:23 And he took an oath, saying to her, Whatever is your desire I will give it to you, even half of my kingdom.
(BBE NIV)

Luke 1:73 the oath which he spoke to Abraham, our father,
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Acts 2:30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,
(WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Acts 18:18 And Paul, after waiting some days, went away from the brothers and went by ship to Syria, Priscilla and Aquila being with him; and he had had his hair cut off in Cenchrea, for he had taken an oath.
(BBE)

Acts 21:23 Do this, then, which we say to you: We have four men who have taken an oath;
(BBE)

Acts 21:24 Go with these, and make yourself clean with them, and make the necessary payments for them, so that they may be free from their oath: and everyone will see that the statements made about you are not true, but that you put yourself under rule, and keep the law.
(BBE)

Acts 23:12 And when it was day, the Jews came together and put themselves under an oath that they would take no food or drink till they had put Paul to death.
(BBE NAS RSV NIV)

Acts 23:13 There were more than forty of them who bound themselves by this oath.
(WEY BBE DBY YLT)

Acts 23:14 And they came to the chief priests and the rulers and said, We have taken a great oath to take no food till we have put Paul to death
(BBE NAS RSV NIV)

Acts 23:21 But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.
(KJV BBE WBS RSV NIV)

Hebrews 3:11 And being angry I made an oath, saying, They may not come into my rest.
(BBE NIV)

Hebrews 3:18 And to whom did he make an oath that they might not come into his rest? was it not to those who went against his orders?
(BBE)

Hebrews 4:3 For those of us who have belief come into his rest; even as he has said, As I said in my oath when I was angry, They may not come into my rest: though the works were done from the time of the making of the world.
(BBE NIV)

Hebrews 6:13 For when God made his oath to Abraham, because there was no greater oath, he made it by himself,
(BBE)

Hebrews 6:16 For men indeed swear by a greater one, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Hebrews 6:17 In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath;
(WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Hebrews 6:18 He added an oath, in order that, through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for Him to prove false, we may possess mighty encouragement--we who, for safety, have hastened to lay hold of the hope set before us.
(WEY)

Hebrews 7:20 Inasmuch as he was not made priest without the taking of an oath
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Hebrews 7:21 (for they indeed have been made priests without an oath), but he with an oath by him that says of him, "The Lord swore and will not change his mind,'You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.'"
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Hebrews 7:28 For the law appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath which came after the law appoints a Son forever who has been perfected.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Hebrews 12:26 Whose voice was the cause of the shaking of the earth; but now he has made an oath, saying, There will be still one more shaking, not only of the earth, but of heaven.
(BBE)

James 5:12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, neither by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath; but let your "yes" be "yes," and your "no," "no;" so that you don't fall into hypocrisy.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Revelation 10:6 And took his oath by him who is living for ever and ever, who made the heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there would be no more waiting:
(BBE)

Genesis 14:22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have taken an oath to the Lord, the Most High God, maker of heaven and earth,
(BBE NIV)

Genesis 21:23 Now, then, give me your oath, in the name of God, that you will not be false to me or to my sons after me, but that as I have been good to you, so you will be to me and to this land where you have been living.
(BBE)

Genesis 21:24 And Abraham said, I will give you my oath.
(BBE)

Genesis 21:31 So he gave that place the name Beer-sheba, because there the two of them had given their oaths.
(Root in BBE NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 22:16 Saying, I have taken an oath by my name, says the Lord, because you have done this and have not kept back from me your dearly loved only son,
(BBE)

Genesis 24:3 And take an oath by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not get a wife for my son Isaac from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am living;
(BBE)

Genesis 24:7 The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and made an oath to me, saying, To your seed I will give this land: he will send his angel before you and give you a wife for my son in that land.
(BBE NIV)

Genesis 24:8 If the woman isn't willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this my oath. Only you shall not bring my son there again."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 24:9 And the servant put his hand under Abraham's leg, and gave him his oath about this thing.
(BBE NIV)

Genesis 24:37 And my master made me take an oath, saying, Do not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am living;
(BBE NIV)

Genesis 24:41 Then will you be clear from my oath, when you come to my relatives. If they don't give her to you, you shall be clear from my oath.'
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 25:33 And Jacob said, First of all give me your oath; and he gave him his oath, handing over his birthright to Jacob.
(BBE NIV)

Genesis 26:3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you. For to you, and to your seed, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 26:28 They said, "We saw plainly that Yahweh was with you. We said,'Let there now be an oath between us, even between us and you, and let us make a covenant with you,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Genesis 26:31 And early in the morning they took an oath one to the other: then Isaac sent them away and they went on their way in peace.
(BBE NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 26:33 and he calleth it Shebah, 'oath,' therefore the name of the city 'is' Beer-Sheba, 'well of the oath,' unto this day.
(YLT)

Genesis 28:20 Then Jacob took an oath, and said, If God will be with me, and keep me safe on my journey, and give me food and clothing to put on,
(BBE)

Genesis 31:13 I am the God of Beth-el, where you put oil on the pillar and took an oath to me: now then, come out of this land and go back to the country of your birth.
(BBE)

Genesis 31:53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, be our judge. Then Jacob took an oath by the Fear of his father Isaac.
(BBE NIV)

Genesis 43:3 And Judah said to him, The man said to us with an oath, You are not to come before me again without your brother.
(BBE)

Genesis 47:29 And the time of his death came near, and he sent for his son Joseph and said to him, If now I am dear to you, put your hand under my leg and take an oath that you will not put me to rest in Egypt;
(BBE)

Genesis 47:31 And he said, Take an oath to me; and he took an oath to him: and Israel gave worship on the bed's head.
(BBE)

Genesis 50:5 My father made me take an oath, saying, When I am dead, put me to rest in the place I have made ready for myself in the land of Canaan. So now let me go and put my father in his last resting-place, and I will come back again.
(BBE NIV)

Genesis 50:6 And Pharaoh said, Go up and put your father to rest, as you gave your oath to him.
(BBE)

Genesis 50:24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, The time of my death has come; but God will keep you in mind and take you out of this land into the land which he gave by his oath to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.
(BBE NAS NIV)

Genesis 50:25 Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS RSV NIV)

Exodus 6:8 And I will be your guide into the land which I made an oath to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it to you for your heritage: I am Yahweh.
(BBE)

Exodus 13:5 And it will be that, when the Lord takes you into the land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, the land which he made an oath to your fathers that he would give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you will do this act of worship in this month.
(BBE)

Exodus 13:11 And when the Lord takes you into the land of Canaan, as he made his oath to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you,
(BBE NIV)

Exodus 13:19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the children of Israel take an oath, saying, God will certainly keep you in mind; and you are to take my bones away with you.
(BBE DBY NIV)

Exodus 17:16 For he said, The Lord has taken his oath that there will be war with Amalek from generation to generation.
(BBE)

Exodus 22:8 If they do not get the thief, let the master of the house come before the judges and take an oath that he has not put his hand on his neighbour's goods.
(BBE)

Exodus 22:11 the oath of Yahweh shall be between them both, whether he hasn't put his hand to his neighbor's goods; and its owner shall accept it, and he shall not make restitution.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 33:1 And the Lord said to Moses, Go forward from this place, you and the people whom you have taken up out of the land of Egypt, to that land about which I made an oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, To your seed will I give it.
(BBE NIV)

Leviticus 5:1 And if anyone does wrong by saying nothing when he is put under oath as a witness of something he has seen or had knowledge of, then he will be responsible:
(BBE YLT)

Leviticus 5:4 "'Or if anyone swears rashly with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatever it is that a man might utter rashly with an oath, and it is hidden from him; when he knows of it, then he shall be guilty of one of these.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 6:3 Or has taken a false oath about the loss of something which he has come across by chance; if a man has done any of these evil things,
(BBE)

Leviticus 6:5 Or anything about which he took a false oath; he will have to give it all back, with the addition of a fifth of its value, to him whose property it is, when he has been judged to be in the wrong.
(BBE)

Leviticus 7:16 But if his offering is made because of an oath or given freely, it may be taken as food on the day when it is offered; and the rest may be used up on the day after:
(BBE)

Leviticus 19:12 And do not take an oath in my name falsely, putting shame on the name of your God: I am the Lord.
(BBE)

Leviticus 22:18 Say to Aaron and to his sons and to all the children of Israel, If any man of the children of Israel, or of another nation living in Israel, makes an offering, given because of an oath or freely given to the Lord for a burned offering;
(BBE)

Leviticus 22:21 And whoever makes a peace-offering to the Lord, in payment of an oath or as a free offering, from the herd or the flock, if it is to be pleasing to the Lord, let it be free from any mark or damage.
(BBE)

Leviticus 22:23 An ox or a lamb which has more or less than its natural parts, may be given as a free offering; but it will not be taken in payment of an oath.
(BBE)

Leviticus 27:2 Say to the children of Israel, If a man makes a special oath, you will give your decision as to the value of the persons for the Lord.
(BBE)

Leviticus 27:21 But the field, when it becomes free at the year of Jubilee, will be holy to the Lord, as a field given under oath: it will be the property of the priest.
(BBE)

Leviticus 27:26 But a man may not give by oath to the Lord the first-fruits of cattle which are offered to the Lord: if it is an ox or a sheep it is the Lord's.
(BBE)

Numbers 5:19 And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse:
(KJV BBE WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 5:21 then the priest shall cause the woman to swear with the oath of cursing, and the priest shall tell the woman, "Yahweh make you a curse and an oath among your people, when Yahweh allows your thigh to fall away, and your body to swell;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 6:2 Say to the children of Israel, If a man or a woman takes an oath to keep himself separate and give himself to the Lord;
(BBE)

Numbers 6:5 All the time he is under his oath let no blade come near his head; till the days while he is separate are ended he is holy and his hair may not be cut.
(BBE)

Numbers 6:7 He may not make himself unclean for his father or his mother, his sister or his brother, if death comes to them; because he is under an oath to keep himself separate for God.
(BBE)

Numbers 6:18 Then let his long hair, the sign of his oath, be cut off at the door of the Tent of meeting, and let him put it on the fire on which the peace-offerings are burning.
(BBE)

Numbers 6:21 This is the law for him who takes an oath to keep himself separate, and for his offering to the Lord on that account, in addition to what he may be able to get; this is the law of his oath, which he will have to keep.
(BBE)

Numbers 11:12 Am I the father of all this people? have I given them birth, that you say to me, Take them in your arms, like a child at the breast, to the land which you gave by an oath to their fathers?
(BBE NIV)

Numbers 14:16 Because the Lord was not able to take this people into the land which he made an oath to give them, he sent destruction on them in the waste land.
(BBE NAS NIV)

Numbers 14:23 They will not see the land about which I made an oath to their fathers; not one of these by whom I have not been honoured will see it.
(BBE NIV)

Numbers 15:3 And are going to make an offering by fire to the Lord, a burned offering or an offering in connection with an oath, or an offering freely given, or at your regular feasts, an offering for a sweet smell to the Lord, from the herd or the flock:
(BBE)

Numbers 15:8 And when you make ready a young ox for a burned or other offering, or for the effecting of an oath, or for peace-offerings to the Lord:
(BBE)

Numbers 18:14 Everything given by oath to the Lord in Israel is to be yours.
(BBE)

Numbers 21:2 Then Israel made an oath to the Lord, and said, If you will give up this people into my hands, then I will send complete destruction on all their towns.
(BBE)

Numbers 29:39 These are the offerings which you are to give to the Lord at your regular feasts, in addition to the offerings for an oath, and the free offerings you give, for your burned offerings and your drink offerings and your peace-offerings.
(BBE)

Numbers 30:2 When a man vows a vow to Yahweh, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 30:3 If a woman, being young and under the authority of her father, takes an oath to the Lord or gives an undertaking;
(BBE)

Numbers 30:4 If her father, hearing of her oath or the undertaking she has given, says nothing to her, then all her oaths and every undertaking she has given will have force.
(BBE)

Numbers 30:5 But if her father, hearing of it, makes her take back her word, then the oaths or the undertakings she has given will have no force; and she will have forgiveness from the Lord, because her oath was broken by her father.
(Root in BBE)

Subtopics

Oath

Oath used in Solemnizing Covenants: Between Abraham and Abimelech

Oath used in Solemnizing Covenants: Between Abraham and the King of Sodom

Oath used in Solemnizing Covenants: Between Isaac and Abimelech

Oath: Abraham Requires Oath of his Servant Eliezer

Oath: Attributed to God

Oath: Boaz Swears to Ruth

Oath: David Swears not to Eat Until the Sun Goes Down

Oath: David Swears to Bath-Sheba That Solomon Will be King

Oath: David Swears to Saul

Oath: Elisha Seals his Vow to Follow Elijah By