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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Exodus 20:7

EXODUS—NOTE ON Exodus 20:7 Taking the Lord’s name in vain (see note on Deut. 5:11) refers primarily to taking a deceptive oath in God’s name or invoking God’s name to justify a dishonest act (Leviticus 19:12). It also forbids using God’s name in magic, or irreverently, or disrespectfully (Leviticus 24:10).

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See also Exodus 20:7 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    THE THIRD COMMANDMENT Against _false swearing, blasphemy_, and _irreverent use of the name of God_. Verse Exodus 20:7. _THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN_ _vain_] This precept no...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    The Hebrew name which is rendered in our King James Version as the ten commandments occurs in Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; Deuteronomy 10:4. It literally means “the Ten Words.” The Ten Commandmen

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 20 THE COVENANT REVEALED _ 1. The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1)_ 2. Jehovah's gracious provision (Exodus 20:18) This law covenant is now stated. It was given three times. First orally here,...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    EXODUS 20-24, 34. THE CODES IN EXODUS. Recent study has by many converging lines of argument, based on subject matter, choice of words, relation to the context, idiomatic phrasing, comparison with the...

  • B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary

    III. HALLOWING GOD'S NAME AND THE SABBATH DAY. 7. THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN. This commandment prohibits all employment of the name of God for vain and unworthy objects,...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    TAKE THE NAME... IN VAIN. Much more important than the mere mispronunciation of the Name. NOT HOLD HIM GUILTLESS. Figure of speech _Tapeinosis._ App-6....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The _third_commandment. The name of God to be treated with reverence. _take … in vain_ properly, TAKE UP (viz. upon the lips, as Exodus 23:1; Psalms 15:3; Psalms 16:4) … FOR UNREALITY (Di. -zur _Nicht...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN— Our Saviour, who, it must be allowed, was the best expositor of the commandments, has given us (Matthew 5:33.) the true meaning of this, which...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    THE TEXT OF EXODUS TRANSLATION 20 AND GOD SPAKE ALL THESE WORDS, SAYING, (2) I am Je-ho-vah thy God, who brought thee out of the land of E-gypt, out of the house of bondage. (3) Thou shalt have no ot...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._ Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, х_ LASHAAW...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    20:7 idly (b-4) idly (b-20) Or 'for an untruth.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (VV. 1-21) Exodus 20-23, containing (1) the Decalogue (Gk. = 'Ten Words' or 'Commandments') and (2) a code of laws regulating the religious and social life of the people, and call...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    This prohibition applies strictly to perjury or false swearing, the breaking of a promise or contract that has been sealed with an oath in the name of God. He will not allow His name to be associated...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    EXODUS: *ISRAEL BECOMES A NATION GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS TO MOSES EXODUS CHAPTER S 19 TO 40 _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ CHAPTER 20 GOD’S TEN *COMMANDMENTS – VERSES 1-17 V1 God spoke all these wor...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN. — The Hebrew is ambiguous, as is to some extent the English translation. Most modern critics regard the phrase used as forbidding _false_ swea...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    לֹ֥א תִשָּׂ֛א אֶת ־שֵֽׁם ־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE “TEN WORDS” SPOKEN AT SINAI Exodus 20:1 The Law was given by the disposition of angels, through the medium of Moses. See John 1:17; Acts 7:53. It tells us, not what God is, for that is only shown...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here we have the Ten Words of the moral Law. They are introduced by a proclamation of God concerning Himself: first as to His name, "I am Jehovah"; second, as to His relation to them, "thy God"; and,...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in (f) vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. (f) Either by swearing falsely or rashly by his Name, or by condem...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _In vain. On trifling occasions, rashly, or falsely. "Those who swear often, diminish their credit among the wise." (Philo)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    This is the third commandment. It were to be devoutly wished, that it were written in the heart by the Spirit of the Lord. Then should we not have so much occasion to lament the profanation of it, as...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    "In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai." Up to this point all the dealings of God have been the...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _THE HOLY NAME_ ‘Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.’ Exodus 20:7 Though every feeling of reverence and gratitude bids us use the wondrous name of God with awe and recollectio...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    Exodus 20:7._Thou shalt not take the name. _There is a manifest _synecdoche _in this Commandment; for in order that God may procure for His name its due reverence, He forbids its being taken in vain,...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 19 THROUGH 23. But having thus terminated the course of grace, the scene changes entirely. They do not keep the feast on the mountain, whither God, as He had...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    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 reverenc...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 7. _The Name of the Lord._] That "holy and reverend" Name; Psa 11...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    Exo. 20:3-7. The three first commandments. The first commandment respects the object of worship; and especially forbids those things in worship that are against _God the Father._ The second commandmen...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    The third commandment is concerning the _manner_ of our worship: where we have, 1st, A strict prohibition. _Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain_ Supposing that, having taken Jehov...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The ten Commandements. 18 The people are afraid. 20 Moses comforteth them. 22 Idolatrie is forbidden. 24 Of what sort the Altar should be. 1 AND God spake all these words, saying, 2 [NOTE: Deut...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord, thy God, in vain, without purpose and object, in a frivolous manner; FOR THE LORD WILL NOT HOLD HIM GUILTLESS THAT TAKETH HIS NAME IN VAIN, an emphatic warnin...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE DECALOGUE...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    SECOND SECTION The Threefold Law of the Covenant for the Covenant People on the Basis of the Prophetic, Ethico-religious Divine Law of the Ten Commandments. Historical Prophecy Exodus 20-31 A. THE T...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (vs.1-17) Before God gives the ten commandments, He makes is abundantly clear that Israel's obedience to law had nothing to do with God's previous grace toward them in delivering...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    3-11 The first four of the ten commandments, commonly called the FIRST table, tell our duty to God. It was fit that those should be put first, because man had a Maker to love, before he had a neighbo...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Or, _not carry_, or _not take_, or lift up, to wit, in or into thy mouth, as the phrase is more fully expressed, Job 4:2; Psalms 16:4, Psalms 50:16. So men are said to _take up a proverb_, or a lament...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    It is of the utmost importance to understand the true character and object of the moral law, as set forth in this chapter. There is a tendency in the mind to confound the principles of law and grace,...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Exodus 20:7 take H5375 (H8799) name H8034 LORD H3068 God H430 vain H7723 LORD H3068 guiltless H5352 ...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Exodus 20:7 The name of God stands for Himself and for that which He has revealed of Himself, not for our thoughts about Him. It is not surprising that this great name was invested with a superstitiou...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Exodus 20:1. _And God spake all these words saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me._ God...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Ten commandments delivered to Moses at Sinai. CHARACTERS: God, Moses. CONCLUSION: A holy and righteous God has holy and righteous standards. Those who love God will constantly endeavor to...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Exodus 20:1. _God spake all these words._ In compassion to man, and the increasing weakness of human traditions, it has pleased the infinitely wise and Holy One to renew the evidences of revelation at...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain._ THE THIRD COMMANDMENT The name of God stands for Himself and for that which He has revealed of Himself, not for our thoughts about Him. It...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Exodus 20:7. Take in vain.] Rather: “utter loud” (as for the purpose of solemn attestation) “for falsehood,” _i.e_., in the service of falsehood, to confirm falsehood. (1.) The word...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THE DELIVERY OF THE MORAL LAW. Every necessary preparation had now been made. The priests, as well as the people, had "sanctified themselves." A wholesome dread of "breaking" through the fe...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And God spake these words, saying (Exodus 20:1), Now the people said, "All that the Lord commands, we will do." All right this is what the Lord has spoken. Now these are the commandments of God. I am...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    take Leviticus 19:12 Leviticus 24:11 Deuteronomy 5:11 Psalms 50:14...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE TEN COMMANDMENTS Exodus 20:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS As introductory to this study we wish to answer some statements relative to the Christian and the Law. 1. SAINTS ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW FOR SALVA...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    BREAKING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS Exodus 20:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We have today a study on the Ten Commandments. These Commandments were written upon two tables of stone. The first four, written on one...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The third commandment is concerning the manner of our worship; Where we have, [1.] A strict prohibition. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain — Supposing that, having taken Jehovah...

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