Leviticus 19:12
New International Version
“’Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

New Living Translation
“Do not bring shame on the name of your God by using it to swear falsely. I am the LORD.

English Standard Version
You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible
You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

King James Bible
And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.

New King James Version
And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
And you shall not swear falsely by My name, so as to profane the name of your God; I am the LORD.

NASB 1995
‘You shall not swear falsely by My name, so as to profane the name of your God; I am the LORD.

NASB 1977
‘And you shall not swear falsely by My name, so as to profane the name of your God; I am the LORD.

Legacy Standard Bible
And you shall not swear falsely by My name, so as to profane the name of your God; I am Yahweh.

Amplified Bible
You shall not swear [an oath] falsely by My name, so as to profane the name of your God; I am the LORD.

Christian Standard Bible
Do not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God; I am the LORD.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You must not swear falsely by My name, profaning the name of your God; I am Yahweh.”

American Standard Version
And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of thy God: I am Jehovah.

Contemporary English Version
Do not misuse my name by making promises you don't intend to keep. I am the LORD your God.

English Revised Version
And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, so that thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Never swear by my name in order to deceive anyone. This dishonors the name of your God. I am the LORD.

Good News Translation
Do not make a promise in my name if you do not intend to keep it; that brings disgrace on my name. I am the LORD your God.

International Standard Version
"You are not to use my name to deceive, thereby defiling the name of your God. I am the LORD.

Majority Standard Bible
You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

NET Bible
You must not swear falsely in my name, so that you do not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

New Heart English Bible
"'You shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

Webster's Bible Translation
And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.

World English Bible
“‘You shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And you do not swear by My Name for falsehood, or you have defiled the Name of your God; I [am] YHWH.

Young's Literal Translation
And ye do not swear by My name to falsehood, or thou hast polluted the name of thy God; I am Jehovah.

Smith's Literal Translation
And ye shall not swear in my name for falsehood, and profane the name of thy God: I Jehovah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou shalt not swear falsely by my name, nor profane the name of thy God. I am the Lord.

Catholic Public Domain Version
You shall not commit perjury in my name, nor shall you pollute the name of your God. I am the Lord.

New American Bible
You shall not swear falsely by my name, thus profaning the name of your God. I am the LORD.

New Revised Standard Version
And you shall not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God: I am the LORD.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
You shall not swear by my name falsely and so profane the name of your God; I am the LORD.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
you shall not swear in my name in falsehood and defile the name of your God; I AM LORD JEHOVAH.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And ye shall not swear by My name falsely, so that thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And ye shall not swear unjustly by my name, and ye shall not profane the holy name of your God: I am the Lord your God.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Love Your Neighbor
11You must not steal. You must not lie or deceive one another. 12You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD. 13You must not defraud your neighbor or rob him. You must not withhold until morning the wages due a hired hand.…

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.

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.’ / But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; / or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ...

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.

Numbers 30:2
If a man makes a vow to the LORD or swears an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word; he must do everything he has promised.

Deuteronomy 23:21-23
If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to keep it, because He will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin. / But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty of sin. / Be careful to follow through on what comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed to the LORD your God with your own mouth.

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. / It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.

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.’ / You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred? / And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ ...

Psalm 15:4
who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath,

Jeremiah 7:9-10
Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods that you have not known, / and then come and stand before Me in this house, which bears My Name, and say, ‘We are delivered, so we can continue with all these abominations’?

Zechariah 8:17
do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely, for I hate all these things,” declares the LORD.

Malachi 3:5
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts.

1 Timothy 1:10
for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching

Romans 2:24
As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Ezekiel 36:20-23
And wherever they went among the nations, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, yet they had to leave His land.’ / But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they had gone. / Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: It is not for your sake that I will act, O house of Israel, but for My holy name, which you profaned among the nations to which you went. ...


Treasury of Scripture

And you shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.

ye shall

Leviticus 6:3
Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein:

Exodus 20:7
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.

Deuteronomy 5:11
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.

profane

Leviticus 18:21
And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 24:11,15,16
And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:) …

Ezekiel 36:20-23
And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land…

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Leviticus 19
1. A repetition of various laws














You must not swear falsely
The Hebrew root for "swear" is "שָׁבַע" (shava), which means to take an oath or make a solemn promise. In ancient Israel, oaths were a serious matter, often invoking God's name as a witness to one's truthfulness. Swearing falsely, therefore, was not merely a lie but a direct affront to God's holiness and truth. This command underscores the importance of integrity and honesty in all dealings, reflecting God's own nature as the ultimate truth.

by My name
The phrase "by My name" refers to the sacred and revered name of God, often represented in Hebrew as "יהוה" (YHWH). In the ancient Near Eastern context, names were more than mere labels; they encapsulated the essence and character of a person. God's name is holy, and invoking it in an oath was to call upon His very presence and authority. This highlights the gravity of using God's name, reminding believers of the reverence due to Him.

and so profane
The Hebrew word for "profane" is "חָלַל" (chalal), which means to defile or treat something sacred with irreverence. To profane God's name is to diminish its sanctity, reducing it to the level of common or ordinary things. This act of desecration is a serious offense, as it misrepresents God's holiness and can lead others to disrespect or misunderstand His nature.

the name of your God
This phrase emphasizes the personal relationship between God and His people. "Your God" signifies a covenantal bond, where God has chosen Israel as His own, and they, in turn, are to honor Him above all. The name of God is not just a title but a representation of His covenantal faithfulness, love, and authority over His people.

I am the LORD
The declaration "I am the LORD" serves as a divine signature, affirming God's sovereignty and the authority behind His commands. The use of "LORD" in all capitals in English translations represents the tetragrammaton "יהוה" (YHWH), God's personal and covenantal name. This statement is a reminder of God's eternal presence and unchanging nature, reinforcing the call to holiness and obedience. It serves as a powerful conclusion, reminding believers that their actions are accountable to the One who is the ultimate judge and ruler of all.

(12) And ye shall not swear.--This corresponds with the third commandment of the Decalogue (Exodus 20:7).

Verse 12. - And ye shall not swear by my name falsely. These words contain a positive permission to swear, or take a solemn oath, by the Name of God, and a prohibition to swear falsely by it (see Matthew 5:33).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You must not
וְלֹֽא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

swear
תִשָּׁבְע֥וּ (ṯiš·šā·ḇə·‘ū)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 7650: To seven oneself, swear

falsely
לַשָּׁ֑קֶר (laš·šā·qer)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8267: Deception, disappointment, falsehood

by My name
בִשְׁמִ֖י (ḇiš·mî)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 8034: A name

and so profane
וְחִלַּלְתָּ֛ (wə·ḥil·lal·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 2490: To bore, to wound, to dissolve, to profane, to break, to begin, to play

the name
שֵׁ֥ם (šêm)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8034: A name

of your God.
אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ (’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

I
אֲנִ֥י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

am the LORD.
יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT Law: Leviticus 19:12 You shall not swear by my name (Le Lv Lev.)
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