Deuteronomy 5:11
in Deuteronomy 5You 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain: for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
KJV
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 5
Commentary
2 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
You shall not make for yourself an idol
on Deuteronomy 5:8-11
The second word forbids making an idol and bowing to it, and verse 9 names God "a jealous God" as the reason. The "third and fourth generations" stand against "a thousand generations," so mercy far outreaches the visiting of iniquity.
This site's exposition
take the name of the LORD your God in vain
The third word guards the name by which Israel swore and prayed. In vain means to emptiness, which takes in the false oath that Leviticus 19:12 forbids. John Gill notes that this chapter gives the commandments in the order and nearly the words of Exodus 20.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
and performs kindliness for thousands [of generations] for those who love Me and for those who guard My commandments.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תִשָּׂ֛א | tisa' | you must take | H5375 → | 656 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שֵֽׁם־ | shem- | [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| יְהוָ֥ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ | ʾeloheikha | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| לַשָּׁ֑וְא | lashav' | for <the> emptiness | H7723 → | 53 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לֹ֤א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יְנַקֶּה֙ | yenakeh | he will leave unpunished | H5352 → | |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֵ֛ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | [one] who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יִשָּׂ֥א | yisa' | he will take | H5375 → | 656 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שְׁמ֖וֹ | shemo | name his | H8034 → | 864 times |
| לַשָּֽׁוְא׃ ס | lashav' | for <the> emptiness | H7723 → | 53 times |
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תִשָּׂ֛אyou must take
tisa'H5375 →656 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שֵֽׁם־[the] name of
shem-H8034 →864 times
יְהוָ֥הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָGod your
ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 times
לַשָּׁ֑וְאfor <the> emptiness
lashav'H7723 →53 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לֹ֤אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יְנַקֶּה֙he will leave unpunished
yenakehH5352 →
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֵ֛ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
אֲשֶׁר־[one] who
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
יִשָּׂ֥אhe will take
yisa'H5375 →656 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שְׁמ֖וֹname his
shemoH8034 →864 times
לַשָּֽׁוְא׃ סfor <the> emptiness
lashav'H7723 →53 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
James 5:12Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under…
it leads to
- Matthew 5:33–37
Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 23:16–22
Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’
- Matthew 5:33–37
Through
Exodus 20:7You 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.
it leads to
- Leviticus 19:12
You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- James 5:12
Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Leviticus 19:12
Through
Deuteronomy 6:13Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name.
it leads to
- Luke 4:8
But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”
- 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.
- Matthew 4:10
“Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus declared. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”
- Luke 4:8
Through
Leviticus 19:12You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
it leads 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 20:7
Where this verse is studied
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on John Calvin, Commentary on the Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Form of a Harmony; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch.