Swear
Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words [1]
Shâba‛ ( שָׁבַע , Strong'S #7650), “to swear; take an oath.” This is a common word throughout the history of the Hebrew language. The fact that it occurs more than 180 times in the Hebrew Bible attests to its importance there also. Shâba‛ occurs for the first time in the Hebrew Bible in Gen. 21:23-24, where Abimelech requests Abraham to “… swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son.… And Abraham said, I will swear.”
Often “to swear or to take an oath” is to strongly affirm a promise. Thus, Joshua instructs the spies concerning Rahab of Jericho: “Go into the harlot’s house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her” (Josh. 6:22). David and Jonathan strongly affirmed their love for each other with an oath (1 Sam. 20:17). Allegiance to God is pledged by an oath (Isa. 19:18). Zephaniah condemns the idolatrous priests “that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham [the Ammonite god]” (Zeph. 1:5). In making and upholding His promises to men, God often “swears” by Himself. To Abraham after his test involving His command to sacrifice his son Isaac, God said: “By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee …” (Gen. 22:16-17; cf. Isa. 45:23; Jer. 22:5). God also “swears” by His holiness (Amos 4:2).
The root for “to swear” and the root for “seven” are the same in Hebrew, and since the number seven is the “perfect number,” some have conjectured that “to swear” is to somehow “seven oneself,” thus to bind oneself with seven things. Perhaps this is paralleled by the use of “seven” in Samson’s allowing himself to be bound by seven fresh bowstrings (Judg. 16:7) and weaving the seven locks of his head (Judg. 16:13). The relationship between “to swear” and “seven” is inconclusive.
King James Dictionary [2]
Swear pret. swore. Eng. veer L. assevero.
1. To affirm or utter a solemn declaration, with an appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed.
Ye shall not swear by my name falsely. Leviticus 19
But I say unto you, swear not at all. Matthew 5
2. To promise upon oath.
Jacob said, swear to me this day and he swore to him. Genesis 25
3. To give evidence an oath as, to swear to the truth of a statement. He swore that the prisoner was not present at the riot. 4. To be profane to practice profaneness.
Certain classes of men are accustomed to swear. For men to swear is sinful, disreputable and odious but for females or ladies to swear, appears more abominable and scandalous.
SWEAR, To utter or affirm with a solemn appeal to God for the truth of the declaration as, to swear on oath. This seems to have been the primitive use of swear that is, to affirm.
1. To put to an oath to cause to take an oath as, to swear witnesses in court to swear a jury the witness has been sworn the judges are sworn into office. 2. To declare or charge upon oath as, to swear treason against a man. 3. To obtest by an oath.
Now by Apollo, king, thou swear'st thy gods in vain.
To swear the peace against one, to make oath that one is under the actual fear of death or bodily harm from the person in which case the person must find sureties of the peace.
Webster's Dictionary [3]
(1): ( v. t.) To put to an oath; to cause to take an oath; to administer an oath to; - ofetn followed by in or into; as, to swear witnesses; to swear a jury; to swear in an officer; he was sworn into office.
(2): ( v. t.) To declare or charge upon oath; as, he swore treason against his friend.
(3): ( v. t.) To appeal to by an oath.
(4): ( v. t.) To utter or affirm with a solemn appeal to God for the truth of the declaration; to make (a promise, threat, or resolve) under oath.
(5): ( v. i.) To give evidence on oath; as, to swear to the truth of a statement; he swore against the prisoner.
(6): ( v. i.) To affirm or utter a solemn declaration, with an appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed; to make a promise, threat, or resolve on oath; also, to affirm solemnly by some sacred object, or one regarded as sacred, as the Bible, the Koran, etc.
(7): ( v. i.) To make an appeal to God in an irreverant manner; to use the name of God or sacred things profanely; to call upon God in imprecation; to curse.
Holman Bible Dictionary [4]
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary [5]
See Oath .
