Drinks and Swears!

Thou Shalt Not Take The Lord’s Name in Vain!

Oaths and Restoration

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament 1421 נָשָׂא

The meaning “to lift up” is used both literally and figuratively in many phrases. “To lift up the hand” in taking an oath (Deut 32:40; Ezk 20:5, 6, 15 etc.), in doing violence (II Sam 18:28), as a signal (Isa 49:22) and in punishment (Ps 10:12). “To lift up one’s head” in restoration to honor (Gen 40:13, 20)

Deut 32:40

Deuteronomy 32:40 NIV84

I lift my hand to heaven and declare: As surely as I live forever,

Gen 40:13, 20

Genesis 40:13 NIV84

Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer.

Bearing and Carrying

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament 1421 נָשָׂא

The second semantical category, of bearing or carrying, is used especially of bearing the guilt or punishment of sin. Thus Cain complains in Gen 4:13, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.” The expression “he shall bear his iniquity” occurs frequently (Lev 5:1, 17; 7:18; Num 5:31; 14:34, etc.). This leads easily into the idea of bearing the guilt of another by representation or substitution (Lev 10:17) or of the scapegoat (Lev 16:22)

Gen 4:13

Genesis 4:13 NIV84

Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear.

Lev 10:17 Lev 16:22

Leviticus 10:17 NIV84

“Why didn’t you eat the sin offering in the sanctuary area? It is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt of the community by making atonement for them before the Lord.

Leviticus 16:22 NIV84

The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a solitary place; and the man shall release it in the desert.

Bear a Burden

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament 1421 נָשָׂא

The root sābal, “to bear a burden” in Isa 53:11 is paralleled in the next verse by nāśāʾ “the Servant bore the sins of many,” as in Isa 53:4.

Isa 53:4-11

Isaiah 53:4–11 NIV84

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

Taking Away of Sin

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament 1421 נָשָׂא

The third category stressed the taking away, forgiveness, or pardon of sin, iniquity, and transgression. So characteristic is this action of taking away sin, that it is listed as one of God’s attributes (Ex 34:7; Num 14:18; Mic 7:18). Often this form of nāśāʾ is used in prayers of intercession, e.g. by the messenger of Joseph’s brothers (Gen 50:17), by Pharaoh (Ex 10:17), by Moses for Israel (Ex 32:32; Num 14:19), by Abigail for Naboth (I Sam 25:28), and by Saul to Samuel (I Sam 15:25). It is used by Joshua in his farewell address (Josh 24:19). No doubt the classical expression of this meaning is to be found in Ps 32:1, 5. Sin can be forgiven and forgotten, because it is taken up and carried away.

Job’s Destruction

Job 1:1-12;2:1-9

Job 1:1–12 NIV84

In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. He had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East. His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom. One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.” Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

Job 2:1–9 NIV84

On another day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. And the Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.” Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.” “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has for his own life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.” The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

Matthew 1:1-17

Matthew 1:1–17 NIV84

A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

Gen 2:24

Genesis 2:24 NIV84

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

Bearing the Name

“It perpetuates the idea that the husband’s in authority... reproducing the tradition that the man is the head of the household,” he says.

Duncan describes it as “quite dangerous” – whether the couples doing it are actively embracing the tradition, or simply observing it by default.