Bible Strands
Leviticus 19:12
You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Yahweh addresses the Israelite assembly within the covenant law, positioning this command directly between prohibitions against deception (Leviticus 19:11) and fraud or unpaid wages (Leviticus 19:13).
The words — The Hebrew תִשָּבְעוּ (ti.sha.ve.'U) means "you will swear an oath," coupled with לַשּׁקֶר (la./Sha.ker), "to falsehood," establishing the literal prohibition against perjury.
The thread — This command aligns with the Decalogue’s warning against taking God’s name in vain (Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 5:11) and mirrors Leviticus 18:21, which ties idolatrous practice to the profaning of God’s name.
Why it lands — The text requires that any oath invoking God’s authority must correspond to truth, since swearing falsely directly dishonors the God whose name is invoked.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.
Cross-references
- 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.
- 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.
- Leviticus 6:3 or finds lost property and lies about it and swears falsely, or if he commits any such sin that a man might commit—
- 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 judgment.
- Matthew 5:33 Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’
- Leviticus 24:11 The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name with a curse. So they brought him to Moses. (His mother’s name was Shelomith daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.)
- Leviticus 24:15 And you are to tell the Israelites, ‘If anyone curses his God, he shall bear the consequences of his sin.
- Psalms 15:4 who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath,
- Jeremiah 4:2 and if you can swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory.”