Oaths, divine

Solemn promises made by God to individuals and their offspring. He swears by himself because there is nothing greater to swear by.

God swears by himself

Hebrews 6:13–14 See also Genesis 22:16; Psalm 89:35; Isaiah 45:23, Isaiah 62:8; Hebrews 6:16–18

When God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and multiply your descendants.”

Examples of God's promises by oath

To Abraham

Genesis 22:15–18 See also Genesis 24:7, Genesis 26:3; Exodus 33:1; Deuteronomy 6:18, Deuteronomy 7:8; Luke 1:72–73

And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time, saying, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies. And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

To David

Psalm 132:11–12 See also 2 Samuel 3:9–10, 2 Samuel 7:11–16; Psalm 89:3–4, Psalm 89:35–37; Acts 2:30

The LORD swore an oath to David, a promise He will not revoke: “One of your descendants I will place on your throne. If your sons keep My covenant and the testimony I will teach them, then their sons will also sit on your throne forever and ever.”

To his anointed one

Psalm 110:4 See also Hebrews 7:17–28

The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

To the generation in the wilderness

Deuteronomy 1:34–36 See also Numbers 14:20–35; Hebrews 3:10–11; Psalm 95:10–11

When the LORD heard your words, He grew angry and swore an oath, saying, “Not one of the men of this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your fathers, except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land on which he has set foot, because he followed the LORD wholeheartedly.”

To Israel

Deuteronomy 29:12–15 See also Ezekiel 16:8

so that you may enter into the covenant of the LORD your God, which He is making with you today, and into His oath, and so that He may establish you today as His people, and He may be your God as He promised you and as He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I am making this covenant and this oath not only with you, but also with those who are standing here with us today in the presence of the LORD our God, as well as with those who are not here today.