KJV King James 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.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
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.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB 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.
WEB World English Bible
“You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
ASV 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.
YLT 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.
Surrounding context — Exodus 20
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
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.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates:
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
לֹ֥אH3808 · lonotתִשָּׂ֛אH5375 · na.sato lift: raiseאֶת־H853 · et[Obj.]שֵֽׁם־H8034 · shemnameיְהוָ֥הH3068 · ye.ho.vahLORDאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָH430 · e.lo.himGodלַשָּׁ֑וְאH7723 · shavvanity: falseכִּ֣יH3588 · kiforלֹ֤אH3808 · lonotיְנַקֶּה֙H5352 · na.qahto clearיְהוָ֔הH3068 · ye.ho.vahLORDאֵ֛תH853 · et[Obj.]אֲשֶׁר־H834 · a.sherwhichיִשָּׂ֥אH5375 · na.sato lift: raiseאֶת־H853 · et[Obj.]שְׁמ֖וֹH8034 · shemnameלַשָּֽׁוְא׃ פH7723 · shavvanity: false
Cross-references
Deuteronomy 5:11Thou 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.Leviticus 19:12And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I [am] the LORD.James 5:12But 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.Matthew 5:33-37Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:Psalm 50:14-16Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:Jeremiah 4:2And 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.Matthew 26:63-64But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.Joshua 9:20This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.Matthew 23:16-22Woe 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!Joshua 2:17And the men said unto her, We [will be] blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.Joshua 2:12Now 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:Hebrews 6:16-17For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation [is] to them an end of all strife.Leviticus 24:11-16And 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:)Proverbs 30:9Lest I be full, and deny [thee], and say, Who [is] the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God [in vain].Deuteronomy 10:20Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.2 Samuel 21:1-2Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, [It is] for Saul, and for [his] bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.2 Corinthians 1:23Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.1 Kings 2:9Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou [art] a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
Compare classic commentaries on Exodus 20:7
Put Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Calvin, Wesley, Barnes, Jamieson–Fausset–Brown, Aquinas’ Catena and other public-domain sources beside the passage.
Compare commentaries →