Leviticus 5:4

Or if someone swears thoughtlessly with his lips to do anything good or evil—in whatever matter a man may rashly pronounce an oath—even if he is unaware of it, when he realizes it, he is guilty in the matter.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The text addresses the Israelite community under the Mosaic covenant, functioning as a legal boundary within the broader Leviticus 5 sequence on guilt and purification. It specifies liability when a person makes a rash vow without realizing the consequences.

The words — The Hebrew תִשָּׁבַע (ti.sha.va') translates literally to "it will swear an oath," paired with לְבַטּוֹא (le.va.to') for "speaking rashly." These terms establish the threshold between casual speech and binding verbal commitment.

The thread — This oath liability intersects with Judges 11:31, where a hasty vow triggers a fatal consequence, and Ecclesiastes 5:2, which warns against hasty speech before God. The New Testament echoes the pattern in Mark 6:23, where an impulsive oath produces an unjust demand.

Why it lands — The verse requires immediate acknowledgment and confession once awareness replaces ignorance, treating careless speech as a tangible breach of covenant responsibility. It demands precision in verbal commitments and accountability for their fulfillment.

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

Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these.

Cross-references

Judges 11:31 then whatever comes out the door of my house to greet me on my triumphant return from the Ammonites will belong to the LORD, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”
Ecclesiastes 5:2 Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.
Mark 6:23 And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!”
Acts 23:12 When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
Numbers 30:8 But if her husband prohibits her when he hears of it, he nullifies the vow that binds her or the rash promise she has made, and the LORD will absolve her.
1 Samuel 25:22 May God punish David, and ever so severely, if I let one male belonging to Nabal survive until morning.”
Leviticus 27:2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them, ‘When someone makes a special vow to the LORD involving the value of persons,
Numbers 30:6 If a woman marries while under a vow or rash promise by which she has bound herself,
Joshua 9:15 And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.
Judges 9:19 if you have acted faithfully and honestly toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, then may you rejoice in Abimelech, and he in you.