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, Ex 22:11 Le 5:1. To swear by a false god was an act of idolatry, Jer 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, Mt 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, Heb 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, Ex 22:11 De 6:18 Ps 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, Heb 6:13,16-17. The oaths forbidden in Mt 5:34-35 Jas 5:12, must refer to the unthinking, hasty, and vicious practices of the Jews; otherwise Paul would have acted against the command of Christ, Ro 1:9 Ga 1:20 2Co 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, Ru 1:17 1Sa 3:17. Similar phrases are these: "As the Lord liveth," Jud 8:19 "Before God I lie not," Ro 9:1; "I say the truth in Christ," 1Ti 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, Ge 24:2 47:29; and raising the hand towards heaven, Ge 14:22,23 De 32:40 Re 10:5.

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Oath. Oath
A solemn appeal to God, permitted on fitting occasions (Deut. 6:13; Jer. 4:2), in various forms (Gen. 16:5; 2 Sam. 12:5; Ruth 1:17; Hos. 4:15; Rom. 1:9), and taken in different ways (Gen. 14:22; 24:2; 2 Chr. 6:22). God is represented as taking an oath (Heb. 6:16-18), so also Christ (Matt. 26:64), and Paul (Rom. 9:1; Gal. 1:20; Phil. 1:8). The precept, “Swear not at all,” refers probably to ordinary conversation between man and man (Matt. 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.”

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OATH. → (A solemn qualification) -Used in solemnizing covenants
* Between Abraham and the king of Sodom Ge 14:22,23
* Between Abraham and Abimelech Ge 21:22,23
* Between Isaac and Abimelech Ge 26:26-29,31

→ Abraham requires oath of his servant Eliezer Ge 24:2,3,9 → Esau confirms the sale of his birthright by Ge 25:33 → Jacob confirms the covenant between him and Laban by Ge 31:53 → Requires Joseph to swear that he would bury him with his forefathers Ge 47:28-31 → Joseph requires a similar oath Ge 50:25 → Rahab requires an oath from the spies Jos 2:12-14; 6:22 → The Israelites confirm the covenant with the Hivites Jos 9:3-20 → Moses covenants with Caleb by Jos 14:9 → The elders of Gilead confirm their pledge to Jephthah by Jud 11:10 → The Israelites swear in Mizpeh Jud 21:5 → Ruth swears to Naomi Ru 1:17 → Boaz swears to Ruth Ru 3:13 → Saul swears to Jonathan 1Sa 19:6 → Jonathan and David confirm a covenant by 1Sa 20:3,13-17 → David swears to Saul 1Sa 24:21,22; 2Sa 21:7 → Saul swears to the witch of En-dor 1Sa 28:10 → David swears not to eat until the sun goes down 2Sa 3:35 → Joab confirms his word by 2Sa 19:7 → David swears to Bath-sheba that Solomon will be king 1Ki 1:28,29 → Solomon confirms his word by 1Ki 2:23 → So does Shimei 1Ki 2:42 → Elisha seals his vow to follow Elijah by 2Ki 2:2 → King of Samaria confirms his word with an 2Ki 6:31 → Gehazi confirms his lie by 2Ki 5:20 → Jehoida requires an oath from the rulers 2Ki 11:4 → Zedekiah violates 2Ch 36:13 → Ezra requires, of the Priests and Levites Ezr 10:5,19 → So does Nehemiah Ne 5:12,13 → Zedekiah swears to Jeremiah Jer 38:16 → Gedaliah confirms his word by Jer 40:9 → Peter confirms his denial of Jesus by Mr 14:71 → ATTRIBUTED TO GOD Ge 22:16; Ps 89:35; 95:11; 105:9; 132:11; Isa 14:24; 45:23; Jer 11:5; 22:5; 49:13; 51:14; Lu 1:73; Heb 3:11,18; 4:3; 6:13,14,17; 7:21,28; Re 10:6 → UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO Ex 20:7; 22:10,11; 23:1; Le 6:2-5; 19:12; Nu 5:19-24; De 5:11; 6:13; 10:20; 1Ki 8:31,32; Ps 15:1,2,4; Ec 8:2; Isa 48:1; Jer 4:2; 5:2,7; 7:8,9; 12:16; Da 9:11; 12:7; Ho 4:15; Mt 5:33-37; 14:3-12; 23:18-22; 26:63; Mr 6:26; Ac 23:12-14; 2Co 1:23; Ga 1:20; Heb 6:16; Jas 5:12; Re 10:5,6
* See COVENANT
* See FALSE WITNESS
* See GOD, PROFANING HIS NAME
* See PERJURY

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oath. Oath, n. a solemn or profane appeal to heaven

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Oath (ōth), n.; pl. Oaths (ōt͡hz). [[OE. othe, oth, ath, AS. āð; akin to D. eed, OS. ēð, G. eid, Icel. eiðr, Sw. ed, Dan. eed, Goth. aiþs; cf. OIr. oeth.]] 1. 1. A solemn affirmation or declaration, made with a reverent appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed. “I have an oath in heaven” Shak.
An oath of secrecy for the concealing of those which we think fit to keep secret. Bacon. 2. 2. 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. 3. (Law) 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. 4. 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. “A terrible oath” Shak.