Exodus 20:7
in Exodus 20You 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 Exodus 20
Commentary
21 notes on this verseThou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain - This precept not only forbids all false oaths, but all common swearing where the name of God is used, or where he is appealed to as a witness of the truth. It also necessarily forbids all light and irreverent mention of God, or any of his attributes; and this the original word לשוא lashshav particularly imports: and we may safely add to all these, that every prayer, ejaculation, etc., that is not accompanied with deep reverence and the genuine spirit of piety, is here condemned also.
This site's exposition
Thou shalt not take the name
The name is what God gave Moses at the bush and called his memorial unto all generations at Exodus 3:15, where memorial occurs for the first time in Scripture. Taking it in vain covers an empty oath and a light use alike, since the Hebrew word carries the sense of emptiness or falsehood. This is the one commandment of the ten that attaches its own sanction, that the LORD will not hold him guiltless.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
The second commandment: "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for whoever takes the name of the Lord his God in vain will not be purified." The name of the Lord our God Jesus Christ is Truth: he himself said, "I am the truth." So truth purifies; futility defiles. And because whoever speaks the truth speaks from what is God's—for "whoever speaks falsehood speaks from what is his own"—to speak the truth is to speak reasonably, whereas to speak futility is to make a noise rather than to speak. Rightly, because the second commandment means love of the truth, the opposite of that is love of futility.
You are told "Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain"; do not regard Christ as a creature because for your sake he put on the creature. And you, you despise him who is equal to the Father and one with the Father.
You are told "Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain"; do not regard Christ as a creature because for your sake he put on the creature. And you, you despise him who is equal to the Father and one with the Father.
Here too the Lord himself teaches in the passage before us about another Lord. For he says, "I am the Lord thy God," and adds, "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." The second Lord is here mystically instructing his servant about the Father, that is to say, the God of the universe. And you could find many other similar instances occurring in Holy Scripture, in which God speaks as if in a second voice about another. The Lord himself speaks as if about another.
Although making a variety of suppositions about him, we all know something of God but do not all know what he is, for few indeed and fewer (if I may say so) than few are they who grasp his holiness in all things. Thus we are rightly taught to pray that our concept of God may be hallowed among us.
14 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church7 voices
Because God is triune, namely Father and Son and Holy Spirit, to whom belongs the highest majesty to be adored, truth to be professed, and charity to be embraced, according to the irascible, rational, and concupiscible powers, through the act of deed, of mouth, and …
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 3 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Just as in the first commandment humble adoration of the supreme majesty is commanded, so in this second commandment faithful confession of the supreme truth is commanded, and the denial of truth is forbidden. In the Old Testament it is said that he who swears …
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 1 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
God is the Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit. To the Father is attributed majesty, to the Son truth, and to the Holy Spirit goodness. In the Son there is supreme truth to be faithfully asserted. In the second commandment is commanded the faithful …
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 7 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
The second plague was of frogs, by which blasphemers and perjurers were struck, who are compared to frogs. For the frog is a noisy animal and consumes itself by its croaking. Similarly does a man when he loses the stability of truth.
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 21 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
And from this fact, that He is the pious worshiper of Himself, the true witness to Himself, and the holy lover of Himself, there comes down from heaven a threefold radiation in the mind, according to the three commandments of the first tablet. For the …
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 7 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
The second plague was of frogs, by which blasphemers and perjurers were struck, who are compared to frogs. For the frog is a noisy animal and consumes itself by its croaking. Similarly does a man when he loses the stability of truth.
This is the Second Commandment of the law. Just as there is but one God whom we must worship, so there is only one God whom we should reverence in a special manner. This, first of all, has reference to the name of God. "You …
The Puritans and the Awakening6 voices
Those that name the name of Christ, but do not depart from iniquity, as that name binds them to do, name it in vain; their worship is vain ( Matt. xv. 7-9 ), their oblations are vain ( Isa. i. 11, 13 ), their religion is vain, Jam. i.
The sinner may perhaps hold himself guiltless, and think there is no harm in it; to obviate which suggestion, the threatening is thus expressed, God will not hold him guiltless - But more is implied, that God will himself be the avenger of those that take his name in vain; and they will find it a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
The sinner may perhaps hold himself guiltless, and think there is no harm in it; to obviate which suggestion, the threatening is thus expressed, God will not hold him guiltless - But more is implied, that God will himself be the avenger of those that take his name in vain; and they will find it a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Thou shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain,.... Make use of the name Lord or God, or any other name and epithet of the divine Being, in a light and trifling way, without any show of reverence of him, and affection to him; whereas the name of God ought never to be mentioned but in a grave and serious manner, and with an awe of the greatness of his majesty upon the mind.
Thou shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain,.... Make use of the name Lord or God, or any other name and epithet of the divine Being, in a light and trifling way, without any show of reverence of him, and affection to him; whereas the name of God ought never to be mentioned but in a grave and serious manner, and with an awe of the greatness of his majesty upon the mind.
Those that name the name of Christ, but do not depart from iniquity, as that name binds them to do, name it in vain; their worship is vain ( Matt. xv. 7-9 ), their oblations are vain ( Isa. i. 11, 13 ), their religion is vain, Jam. i.
Modern Voices1 voice
A commentator
GK ChestertonHeretics, Ch. 16: On Mr. McCabe and a Divine Frivolity (1905) (1905)
proposed
In short, Mr. McCabe is under the influence of a primary fallacy which I have found very common in men of the clerical type. Numbers of clergymen have from time to time reproached me for making jokes about religion; and they have almost always invoked …
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 → | 44 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֵ֛ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | [the 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׃ פ | 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 →44 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֵ֛ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
אֲשֶׁר־[the 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׃ פfor <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.’
- 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.’
- 2 Corinthians 1:17–20
When I planned this, did I do it carelessly? Or do I make my plans by human standards, so as to say “Yes, yes” when I really mean “No, no”?
- Matthew 5:33–37
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
- 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.
- Matthew 5:33–34
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.
- 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.
- Leviticus 18:21
You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
- James 5:12
Through
Deuteronomy 5:11You 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
- Deuteronomy 6:13
Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name.
- Deuteronomy 6:13
Where this verse is studied
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Studies6
On this verse
About Exodus
This page draws on 16 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 8.5; Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 9.3; Bonaventure, Breviloquium, Part 5; Bonaventure, Collationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 3; Bonaventure, Collationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 1; Bonaventure, Collationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 7; Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 21; Eusebius of Caesarea, PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5.16.243; GK Chesterton, Heretics, Ch. 16: On Mr. McCabe and a Divine Frivolity (1905); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, ON PRAYER 24.2-3 and Thomas Aquinas, Explanation of the Ten Commandments.