Oath

Passages on this topic

From Nave’s Topical Bible (1896), a historical reference index. The groupings are Nave’s; the verses are shown in the text used across this site.

(A solemn qualification) -Used in solemnizing covenants

Between Abraham and the king of Sodom

• Genesis 14:22–23 But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, that I will not accept even a thread, or a strap of a sandal, or anything that belongs to you, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’

Between Abraham and Abimelech

• Genesis 21:22–23 At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do. Now, therefore, swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or descendants. Show to me and to the country in which you reside the same kindness tha…

Between Isaac and Abimelech

• Genesis 26:26–29 Later, Abimelech came to Isaac from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army. “Why have you come to me?” Isaac asked them. “You hated me and sent me away.” “We can plainly see that the LORD has been with you,” they replied. “We recommend that there should now be an oath…
• Genesis 26:31 And they got up early the next morning and swore an oath to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they left him in peace.

Abraham requires oath of his servant Eliezer

• Genesis 24:2–3 So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh, and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling,
• Genesis 24:9 So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.

Esau confirms the sale of his birthright by

• Genesis 25:33 “Swear to me first,” Jacob said. So Esau swore to Jacob and sold him the birthright.

Jacob confirms the covenant between him and Laban by

• Genesis 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.

Requires Joseph to swear that he would bury him with his forefathers

• Genesis 47:28–31 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, and the length of his life was 147 years. When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise to show me kindness and faithfulness. Do…

Joseph requires a similar oath

• Genesis 50:25 And Joseph made the sons of Israel take an oath and said, “God will surely attend to you, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.”

Rahab requires an oath from the spies

• Joshua 2:12–14 Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD that you will indeed show kindness to my family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and that you will deliver us from death.”…
• Joshua 6:22 Meanwhile, Joshua told the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the house of the prostitute and bring out the woman and all who are with her, just as you promised her.”

The Israelites confirm the covenant with the Hivites

• Joshua 9:3–20 But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, acted deceptively and set out as envoys, carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their who…

Moses covenants with Caleb by

• Joshua 14:9 On that day Moses swore to me, saying, ‘Surely the land on which you have set foot will be an inheritance to you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.’

The elders of Gilead confirm their pledge to Jephthah by

• Judges 11:10 And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The LORD is our witness if we do not do as you say.”

The Israelites swear in Mizpeh

• Judges 21:5 The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death.

Ruth swears to Naomi

• Ruth 1:17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”

Boaz swears to Ruth

• Ruth 3:13 Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, good. Let him redeem you. But if he does not want to redeem you, as surely as the LORD lives, I will. Now lie here until morning.”

Saul swears to Jonathan

• 1 Samuel 19:6 Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and swore an oath: “As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.”

Jonathan and David confirm a covenant by

• 1 Samuel 20:3 But David again vowed, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Jonathan must not know of this, or he will be grieved.’ As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death.”
• 1 Samuel 20:13–17 But if my father intends to bring evil on you, then may the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if I do not tell you and send you on your way in safety. May the LORD be with you, just as He has been with my father. And as long as I live, treat me with the LORD’s loving devotion, that I may not di…

David swears to Saul

• 1 Samuel 24:21–22 So now, swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.” So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
• 2 Samuel 21:7 Now the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul.

Saul swears to the witch of En-dor

• 1 Samuel 28:10 Then Saul swore to her by the LORD: “As surely as the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this.”

David swears not to eat until the sun goes down

• 2 Samuel 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!”

Joab confirms his word by

• 2 Samuel 19:7 Now therefore get up! Go out and speak comfort to your servants, for I swear by the LORD that if you do not go out, not a man will remain with you tonight. This will be worse for you than all the adversity that has befallen you from your youth until now!”

David swears to Bath-sheba that Solomon will be king

• 1 Kings 1:28–29 Then King David said, “Call in Bathsheba for me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him. And the king swore an oath, saying, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress,

Solomon confirms his word by

• 1 Kings 2:23 Then King Solomon swore by the LORD: “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if Adonijah has not made this request at the expense of his life.

So does Shimei

• 1 Kings 2:42 the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the LORD and warn you, ‘On the day you leave and go elsewhere, know for sure that you will die’? And you told me, ‘The sentence is fair; I will comply.’

Elisha seals his vow to follow Elijah by

• 2 Kings 2:2 and Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me on to Bethel.” But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

King of Samaria confirms his word with an

• 2 Kings 6:31 He announced, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders through this day!”

Gehazi confirms his lie by

• 2 Kings 5:20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has spared this Aramean, Naaman, by not accepting what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”

Jehoida requires an oath from the rulers

• 2 Kings 11:4 Then in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, and the guards, and had them brought into the house of the LORD. There he made a covenant with them and put them under oath. He showed them the king’s son

Zedekiah violates

• 2 Chronicles 36:13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. But Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel.

Ezra requires, of the Priests and Levites

• Ezra 10:5 So Ezra got up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel take an oath to do what had been said. And they took the oath.
• Ezra 10:19 They pledged to send their wives away, and for their guilt they presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.

So does Nehemiah

• Nehemiah 5:12–13 “We will restore it,” they replied, “and will require nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” So I summoned the priests and required of the nobles and officials an oath that they would do what they had promised. I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake out of…

Zedekiah swears to Jeremiah

• Jeremiah 38:16 But King Zedekiah swore secretly to Jeremiah, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has given us this life, I will not kill you, nor will I deliver you into the hands of these men who are seeking your life.”

Gedaliah confirms his word by

• Jeremiah 40:9 Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, swore an oath to them and their men, assuring them, “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.

Peter confirms his denial of Jesus by

• Mark 14:71 But he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak!”

Attributed to God

• Genesis 22:16 saying, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your only son,
• Psalm 89:35 Once and for all I have sworn by My holiness — I will not lie to David —
• Psalm 95:11 So I swore on oath in My anger, “They shall never enter My rest.”
• Psalm 105:9 the covenant He made with Abraham, and the oath He swore to Isaac.
• Psalm 132:11 The LORD swore an oath to David, a promise He will not revoke: “One of your descendants I will place on your throne.
• Isaiah 14:24 The LORD of Hosts has sworn: “Surely, as I have planned, so will it be; as I have purposed, so will it stand.
• Isaiah 45:23 By Myself I have sworn; truth has gone out from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow before Me, every tongue will swear allegiance.
• Jeremiah 11:5 This was in order to establish the oath I swore to your forefathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is to this day.” “Amen, LORD,” I answered.
• Jeremiah 22:5 But if you do not obey these words, then I swear by Myself, declares the LORD, that this house will become a pile of rubble.’”
• Jeremiah 49:13 For by Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, that Bozrah will become a desolation, a disgrace, a ruin, and a curse, and all her cities will be in ruins forever.”

Unclassified Scriptures Relating to

• Exodus 20:7 You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.
• Exodus 22:10–11 If a man gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any other animal to be cared for by his neighbor, but it dies or is injured or stolen while no one is watching, an oath before the LORD shall be made between the parties to determine whether or not the man has taken his neighbor’s property. The owner must…
• Exodus 23:1 “You shall not spread a false report. Do not join the wicked by being a malicious witness.
• Leviticus 6:2–5 “If someone sins and acts unfaithfully against the LORD by deceiving his neighbor in regard to a deposit or security entrusted to him or stolen, or if he extorts his neighbor or finds lost property and lies about it and swears falsely, or if he commits any such sin that a man might commit— once he…
• Leviticus 19:12 You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
• Numbers 5:19–24 And he is to put the woman under oath and say to her, ‘If no other man has slept with you and you have not gone astray and become defiled while under your husband’s authority, may you be immune to this bitter water that brings a curse. But if you have gone astray while under your husband’s authorit…
• Deuteronomy 5:11 You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.
• Deuteronomy 6:13 Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name.
• Deuteronomy 10:20 You are to fear the LORD your God and serve Him. Hold fast to Him and take your oaths in His name.
• 1 Kings 8:31–32 When a man sins against his neighbor and is required to take an oath, and he comes to take an oath before Your altar in this temple, then may You hear from heaven and act. May You judge Your servants, condemning the wicked man by bringing down on his own head what he has done, and justifying the ri…

See Covenant

See FALSE WITNESS

See GOD, PROFANING HIS NAME

See Perjury