The Meaning of Deuteronomy 5:11 Explained

Deuteronomy 5:11

KJV: 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.

YLT: 'Thou dost not take up the Name of Jehovah thy God for a vain thing, for Jehovah doth not acquit him who taketh up His Name for a vain thing.

Darby: Thou shalt not idly utter the name of Jehovah thy God; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that idly uttereth his name.

ASV: 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.

Discover Deuteronomy 5:11

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Deuteronomy 5:11?

MEANING: What does Deuteronomy 5:11 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 5:11 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Deuteronomy 5:11?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Deuteronomy 5:11 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Whereas the second commandment deals with a potential visual temptation to depart from Yahweh, the third deals with a potential verbal temptation. Two of the Ten Commandments affect the use of the tongue and speech: the third (speech about God) and the ninth (speech about people).
God designed this commandment to encourage people to express their respect for Him with appropriate speech. It forbids abusing God"s name or reputation. The name represents the person (cf. Exodus 3:13-14). The positive form of this command Isaiah , "Hallowed be thy name" ( Matthew 6:9). Misuse of God"s name expresses disrespect for Him.
"The meaning clearly is that one must not view the name as a counterpart of Yahweh and then proceed to take it in hand (or in mouth) as a means of accomplishing some kind of ill-advised or unworthy objective. This was typical of ancient Near Eastern sorcery or incantation where the names of the gods were invoked as part of the act of conjuration or of prophylaxis. [1]
There are several ways in which people can abuse God"s name. One is by swearing falsely ( Matthew 5:33-37). This involves lying but appealing to God"s name as support that one is telling the truth (i.e, perjury; cf. 2 Samuel 15:7-10). God allowed swearing in His name under Mosaic Law ( Deuteronomy 6:13; et al.), but Jesus Christ ended it ( Leviticus 19:12; cf. James 5:12). The principle in view is that all of our talk should be honest and not hypocritical. Our lives talk as well as our lips. Therefore in a wider sense this commandment should affect how God"s people behave as well as how they speak (cf. 1 Timothy 6:1).
The consequence of breaking this commandment was God"s punishment. In Israel the leaders of the nation carried this out by stoning the blasphemer. A blasphemer is one who practices profane or mocking speech, writing, or action concerning God or anything regarded as sacred. The blasphemer expresses contempt for God. In the church, the leaders do not have the responsibility of punishing. God Himself will do it.
The Jews took this command seriously. They did not even speak God"s name "Yahweh" to avoid abusing it. Instead they substituted the phrase "the Name" for "Yahweh" in conversation. They also spoke of "heaven," the place where God resides, rather than "God." This, by the way, explains why Matthew in writing his Gospel to Jews usually spoke of the "kingdom of heaven" whereas the other Gospel writers, who wrote primarily for Gentiles, normally used the term "kingdom of God." According to Jewish tradition when a Jewish scribe wrote the name of God he would first bathe, change his clothes, and use a new quill with which to continue writing.
We should take this command seriously too. In our day many people use God"s names (God, Lord, Jesus, Christ, etc.) lightly, largely because they do not respect Him. Our speech and our behavior should reflect the fact that we honor and respect God. How we speak and behave reflects on God"s reputation (name). Moreover respect for the person of God is something God"s people should advocate in their world ( Matthew 6:9).

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 5:1-21 - The Decalogue Repeated
The Law of God is for "all Israel." None are exempt. "Not with our fathers" means not with them only; Moses also uses the expression because many of the references of the Decalogue were to the settled life of Canaan. "Face to face," not in dark visions, but clearly and lucidly, Job 4:12-13. Our "face-to-face" vision is yet to come, 1 Corinthians 13:12; Revelation 22:4. Notice in Deuteronomy 5:5 the ideal mediator, Galatians 3:19; 1 Timothy 2:5.
Every soul has two givings of the Law. First, we stand under Sinai to be judged, condemned, and shut up to Christ as our only hope; then we come to it a second time, asking that the Holy Spirit should write it in our hearts, and make us to walk in obedience to its precepts, Galatians 3:23; Romans 8:4.
Adolphe Monod, on his death-bed, said: "Sin has two divisions; the evil that we have done and the good that we have left undone. As to the first, there is not a single command that I have not transgressed in letter or spirit; as to the second, it weighs on me even more than the first." [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 5

1  The covenant in Horeb
6  The ten commandments
23  At the people's request Moses receives the law from God

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 5:11 mean?

not You shall take - the name of Yahweh your God in vain for will hold [him] guiltless Yahweh - who takes His name in vain -
לֹ֥א תִשָּׂ֛א אֶת־ שֵֽׁם־ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לַשָּׁ֑וְא כִּ֣י יְנַקֶּה֙ יְהוָ֔ה אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־ יִשָּׂ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ לַשָּֽׁוְא ס

תִשָּׂ֛א  You  shall  take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שֵֽׁם־  the  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
יְהוָ֥ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
לַשָּׁ֑וְא  in  vain 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁוְא  
Sense: emptiness, vanity, falsehood.
יְנַקֶּה֙  will  hold  [him]  guiltless 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָקָה  
Sense: to be empty, be clear, be pure, be free, be innocent, be desolate, be cut off.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֵ֛ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יִשָּׂ֥א  takes 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
שְׁמ֖וֹ  His  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
לַשָּֽׁוְא  in  vain 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁוְא  
Sense: emptiness, vanity, falsehood.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation

What are the major concepts related to Deuteronomy 5:11?

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Similar Scriptures for Deuteronomy 5:11

Exodus 20:7 [17]
Leviticus 19:12 [4]
Deuteronomy 6:13 [3]
Matthew 5:33-34 [3]
Psalms 139:20 [2]
James 5:12 [2]
Jeremiah 4:2 [2]