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Jer_4:2 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.
Ver. 2. And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth.] Not by Baal shalt thou swear, or other idols, but by the living God, or by the life of God. The Egyptians once sware by the life of Pharaoh, as the proud Spaniards now do by the life of their king. But, to speak properly, none liveth but the Lord, and none should be sworn by but he alone, an oath being a proof of the divine power, which one worshippeth. The Pythagoreans used to swear by ðåðñáêôçí , Quaternity, which they called ðáãáí áåííáïõ öõóåùò , the fountain of eternal being; and this doubtless was the same with ôåôñáãñáììáôïí , Jehovah.
In truth, in judgment, and in righteousness.] Vere, rite, et iuste: {a} (1.) In truth, {Rom_9:1} that is, to that which is true, lest we fall into perjury. {Lev_19:12} And (2.) Truly, agreeable both to the intentions of our mind, not deceitfully, {Psa_24:2} and agreeable also to the intentions of him that ministereth the oath, and not with mental reservations, as Romish priests oft swear.
In judgment.] Or, Considerately, duly weighing the conditions and circumstances, not rashly and unadvisedly, {Lev_5:4 1Sa_14:39} as those that swear in heat and choler, swear when they should fear. {Deu_10:20; Deu_28:58} The Romans used that most considerate word arbitror, when the jurors said those things which they knew most certainly. {b} The Grecians, when they would swear by their Jupiter, out of the mere dread and reverence of his name, forbore to mention him. And the Egyptians bore such respect to Mercurius Trismegistus, that they held it not lawful to pronounce his name lightly and rashly. This is check to many swearing pseudo-Christians. Such also as swear in jest, will, without repentance, go to hell in earnest. The ancient form of taking and imposing an oath was, Give glory to God. {Jos_7:19 Joh_9:24}
And in righteousness.] (1.) Promising by oath lawful and possible things only, not making an oath a bond of iniquity. {1Sa_25:21-22; 1Sa_28:10} (2.) Careful to perform what we have sworn, though to our own hindrance. {Psa_15:4}
And the nations shall bless themselves in him.] Or, Shall be blessed in him - that is, in that God to whom thou returnest, and by whom thou thus swearest. They shall turn to God by thine example, and hold themselves happy in such a good turn.
{a} Tremel.
{b} Suidas.