Exodus 20:7 - The Ten Commandments (2024)

Verse (Click for Chapter)

New International Version
“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.New Living Translation
“You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.English Standard Version
“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.Berean Standard Bible
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.King James 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.New King James Version
“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.New American Standard Bible
“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.NASB 1995
“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.NASB 1977
“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.Legacy Standard Bible
“You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.Amplified Bible
“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain [that is, irreverently, in false affirmations or in ways that impugn the character of God]; for the LORD will not hold guiltless nor leave unpunished the one who takes His name in vain [disregarding its reverence and its power].Christian Standard Bible
Do not misuse the name of the LORD your God, because the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses his name.Holman Christian Standard Bible
Do not misuse the name of the LORD your God, because the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses His name. American Standard Version
Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.Aramaic Bible in Plain English
You shall not swear in the Name of LORD JEHOVAH your God with a lie because LORD JEHOVAH does not declare him innocent who swears in his Name with a lie.Brenton Septuagint Translation
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord thy God will not acquit him that takes his name in vain.Contemporary English Version
Do not misuse my name. I am the LORD your God, and I will punish anyone who misuses my name. Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that shall take the name of the Lord his God in vain. English Revised Version
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.GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Never use the name of the LORD your God carelessly. The LORD will make sure that anyone who carelessly uses his name will be punished.Good News Translation
"Do not use my name for evil purposes, for I, the LORD your God, will punish anyone who misuses my name. International Standard Version
"You are not to misuse the name of the LORD your God, because the LORD will not leave the one who misuses his name unpunished.JPS Tanakh 1917
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.Literal Standard Version
You do not take up the Name of your God YHWH for a vain thing, for YHWH does not acquit him who takes up His Name for a vain thing.Majority Standard Bible
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.New American Bible
You shall not invoke the name of the LORD, your God, in vain. For the LORD will not leave unpunished anyone who invokes his name in vain.NET Bible
"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold guiltless anyone who takes his name in vain. New Revised Standard Version
You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.New Heart English Bible
"Do not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.Webster's Bible Translation
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.World English Bible
“You shall not misuse the name of Yahweh your God, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who misuses his name. Young's Literal Translation
'Thou dost not take up the name of Jehovah thy God for a vain thing, for Jehovah acquitteth not him who taketh up His name for a vain thing.Additional Translations ...

(7) 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 swearing only; but some think that it forbids also "profane" or "vain swearing." Our Lord's comment in the Sermon on the Mount favours the view that false swearing alone was actually forbidden by the Law, since He proceeds to condemn profane swearing on His own authority: "But I say unto you" (Matthew 5:34). False swearing is among the greatest insults that man can offer to God, and, as being such, is naturally forbidden in the first table, which teaches us our duty to God. It is also destructive of civil society; and hence it is again forbidden in the second table (Exodus 20:16), which defines our duties to our neighbour. The laws of all organised States necessarily forbid it, and generally under a very severe penalty. The Jewish Law condemned the false witness to suffer the punishment which his evidence was calculated to inflict (Deuteronomy 19:19). The Egyptians visited perjury with death or mutilation. The Greeks were content to punish it with a heavy fine, and ultimately with the loss of civil rights. The Romans, in the more ancient times, inflicted the death penalty. It was generally believed, alike in Egypt, in Greece, and in Rome, that the anger of the gods was especially provoked by this crime, and that a Divine Nemesis pursued those who committed it, and made them suffer for their sin, either in their own person or in that of their posterity.

The Lord will not hold him guiltless.--Punishment will assuredly overtake the perjured man, if not in this life, then in another. Jehovah will vindicate His own honour.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 7. - Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. It is disputed whether this is a right rendering. Shav in Hebrew means both "vanity" and ,'falsehood;" so that the Third Commandment may forbid either "vain-swearing" or simply "false-swearing. It is in favor of the latter interpretation, that our Lord seems to contrast his own prohibition of unnecessary oaths with the ancient prohibition of false oaths in the words - "Ye have heard that it hath been said by" (or "to") "them of old time - Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shelf perform unto the Lord thine oaths. But I say unto you - Swear not at all" (Matthew 5:33-34). It is also in favour of the command being levelled against false-swearing, that perjury should naturally, as a great sin, have a special prohibition directed against it in the Decalogue, while vain-swearing, as a little sin, would scarcely seem entitled to such notice. Perjury has always been felt to be one of the greatest both of moral and of social offences. It implies an absolute want of any reverence at all for God; and it destroys civil society by rendering the administration of justice impossible. There has been a general horror of it among all civilised nations. The Egyptians punished perjury with death. The Greeks thought that a divine Nemesis pursued the perjured man, and brought destruction both upon himself and upon his offspring .(Herod. 6:86). The Romans regarded the perjurer as infamous, and the object of Divine vengeance in the other world (Cic. De Leg. 2:9). The threat contained in the words - "The Lord will not hold him guiltless" - may be taken as an argument on either side. If viewed as equivalent to "the Lord will punish severely" (Kalisch), it accords best with the view that perjury was intended; if taken literally, it would suit best a lesser sin, of which men ordinarily think little. Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

You {shall} not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

take
תִשָּׂ֛א (ṯiś·śā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

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

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

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

in vain,
לַשָּׁ֑וְא (laš·šāw)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7723: Evil, idolatry, uselessness

for
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

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

will not
לֹ֤א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

leave anyone unpunished
יְנַקֶּה֙ (yə·naq·qeh)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5352: To be, clean, to be bare, extirpated

who
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

takes
יִשָּׂ֥א (yiś·śā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

His name
שְׁמ֖וֹ (šə·mōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8034: A name

in vain.
לַשָּֽׁוְא׃ (laš·šāw)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7723: Evil, idolatry, uselessness

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Exodus 20:7 - The Ten Commandments (2024)

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