CHAPTER III.

Chapter 525,740 wordsPublic domain

THE THIRD COMMANDMENT.

EXODUS XX, 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._

The term _name_ is sometimes _taken for the nature and being of the Deity itself_. Psalm xx, 1: "The name of the God of Jacob defend thee." That is, God himself defend thee. Psalm cxxxv, 3: "Sing praises unto his name." Psalm cxv, 1: "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory." Luke xxiv, 47: "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations." That is, repentance should be preached through him. Rev. iii, 4: "Thou hast a few names in Sardis." That is, a few persons.

The name of God is taken for that whereby God is called, _and by which his nature and perfections are made known to men_. These names are either his _titles_ or his _attributes_. His _titles_ are his name. Some of these are absolute, as JAH, JEHOVAH, GOD, I AM. Others are relative, and have respect to us, such as CREATOR, LORD, KING, FATHER, REDEEMER. His _attributes_ are his name. Some of these are incommunicable, as _Eternity_, _Immutability_, etc. Others are communicable, as _Goodness_, _Mercy_, _Truth_, etc.

The Hebrews generally gave to God the name JEHOVAH, which signifies _the existing one_. With them it was the _ineffable name_, and not to be pronounced; and hence, in its stead, they generally used ADONI--LORD.

The name JEHOVAH is applied to Christ both in the Old and New Testament Scriptures.

God is taken, 1. _Properly_, for the whole Trinity; 2. _Personally_, for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

1. PROFANE SWEARING FORBIDDEN.

JER. XXIII, 10. For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right.

HOSEA IV, 2. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

LEV. XXIV, 10. And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp;

11. 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:)

12. And they put him in ward, that the mind of the Lord might be shewed them.

13. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

14. Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.

15. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.

16. And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.

ZECH. V, 3. Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it.

MATT. V, 34. But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

35. Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

36. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

37. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

JAMES V, 12. But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

DEUT. V, 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.

LEV. XVIII, 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.

LEV. XIX, 12. And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.

LEV. XXI, 6. They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.

MATT. XXIII, 21. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

22. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

2. FALSE SWEARING FORBIDDEN.

LEV. XIX, 12. And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.

JER. VII, 9. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;

10. And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?

HOSEA IV, 2. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

3. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

4. I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.

ZECH. VIII, 17. And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord.

MAL. III, 5. And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.

ISAIAH XLVIII, 1. Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness.

JER. V, 2. And though they say, The Lord liveth; surely they swear falsely.

3. O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

4. Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish; for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgment of their God.

5. I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

6. Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.

7. How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses.

8. They were as fed horses in the morning: every one neighed after his neighbor's wife.

9. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

HOSEA X, 1. Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.

2. Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.

3. For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the Lord; what then should a king do to us?

4. They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

LEV. V, 1. And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity.

2. Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcass of an unclean beast, or a carcass of unclean cattle, or the carcass of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty.

3. Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty.

4. 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.

5. And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing:

6. And he shall bring his trespass-offering unto the Lord for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb, or a kid of the goats, for a sin-offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin.

LEV. VI, 2. If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the Lord, and lie unto his neighbor in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbor;

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:

4. Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found,

5. Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass-offering.

6. And he shall bring his trespass-offering unto the Lord, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass-offering, unto the priest.

3. SWEARING BY CREATURES FORBIDDEN.

MATT. V, 34. But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

35. Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

36. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

MATT. XXIII, 16. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

17. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

18. And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

19. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

20. Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

21. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

22. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

_Instance of this crime._

GEN. XLII, 15. Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

16. Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.

4. INSTANCES OF SWEARING TO COMMIT SIN, _or to encourage it_.

1 SAM. XXVIII, 10. And Saul sware to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.

PSALM CII, 8. Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.

ACTS XXIII, 21. But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.

_Instances of rash swearing._

MARK VI, 23. And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.

JUDGES XXI, 1. Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.

2. And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;

3. And said, O Lord God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to-day one tribe lacking in Israel?

4. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings.

5. And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the Lord? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the Lord to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.

6. And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

7. How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the Lord, that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?

8. And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the Lord? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly.

9. For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there.

10. And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.

11. And this is the thing ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.

12. And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

13. And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them.

14. And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.

15. And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

16. Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?

17. And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.

18. Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.

1 SAM. XIV, 24. And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.

1 SAM. XIV, 28. Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint.

1 SAM. XIV, 39. For, as the Lord liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.

1 SAM. XIV, 45. And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.

1 SAM. XXV, 22. So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

2 SAM. XIX, 7. Now therefore, arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the Lord, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.

5. CIVIL OATHS LAWFUL.

[NOTE.--To make an oath lawful, it must have the qualifications mentioned by Jeremiah iv, 2: "Thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, _in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness_."

We must be certain that the thing is as we attest it.

He who is called upon to swear should look well that his words agree with his mind, and that the thing agrees with his words.

The matter of an oath ought to be _possible_.

The matter of an oath ought also to be _lawful and honest_.]

JER. IV, 2. And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.

HEB. VI, 16. For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.

17. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath.

2 CHRON. VI, 22. If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house;

23. Then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head; and by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteousness.

DEUT. XXIX, 10. Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God: your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel,

11. Your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water:

12. That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath, which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day:

13. That he may establish thee to-day for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

14. Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath;

15. But with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day.

2 CHRON. XV, 12. And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;

13. That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

14. And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.

15. And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about.

EZRA X, 5. Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.

NEH. X, 29. They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes.

DEUT. VI, 13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.

JER. XII, 16. And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The Lord liveth; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.

6. ARTICLES OF PEACE AND PRIVATE CONTRACTS RATIFIED BY AN OATH.

GEN. XXI, 23. Now therefore swear unto me here by God, that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.

24. And Abraham said, I will swear.

GEN. XXI, 31. Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.

JOSH. II, 12. Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token.

JOSH. VI, 22. But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.

JOSH. IX, 15. And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.

JOSH. IX, 19. But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.

1 SAM. XIX, 6. And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain.

1 SAM. XX, 42. And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed forever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

2 SAM. XXI, 7. But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the Lord's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.

JUDGES XV, 12. And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.

1 SAM. XXX, 15. And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.

2 SAM. XIX, 23. Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.

2 KINGS XXV, 24. And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well with you.

JER. XXXVIII, 16. So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the Lord liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.

GEN. XXIV, 2. And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

3. And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell.

GEN. XXIV, 9. And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.

GEN. XXIV, 37. And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell.

GEN. XXIV, 41. Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.

GEN. XXV, 33. And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

GEN. XLVII, 29. And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt:

30. But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying-place. And he said, I will do as thou hast said.

31. And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head.

GEN. L, 25. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.

1 KINGS I, 13. Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my Lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?

14. Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.

15. And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.

16. And Bath-sheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?

17. And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the Lord thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.

18. And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not:

19. And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.

20. And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

21. Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

22. And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.

23. And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.

24. And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?

25. For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.

26. But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.

27. Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

28. Then king David answered and said, Call me Bath-sheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.

29. And the king sware, and said, As the Lord liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress.

2 KINGS XI, 4. And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the Lord, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the Lord, and shewed them the king's son.

NEH. V, 12. Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.

_Examples of oath-takings._

1 KINGS II, 42. And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the Lord, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good.

1 KINGS XVIII, 10. As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.

_In case of property the oath of a single person will suffice where no other evidence can be had._

EX. XXII, 10. If a man deliver unto his neighbor an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and if it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it:

11. Then shall an oath of the Lord be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbor's goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.

_One witness not sufficient in criminal cases._

NUM. XXXV, 30. Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.

DEUT. XVII, 6. At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

HEB. X, 28. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses.

1 TIM. V, 19. Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

DEUT. XIX, 15. One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

MATT. XVIII, 16. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.