1 Samuel 20:14-17

20:14 While I am still alive, extend to me the loyalty of the Lord, or else I will die! 20:15 Don’t ever cut off your loyalty to my family, not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth 20:16 and called David’s enemies to account.” So Jonathan made a covenant ¹  with the house of David. ²  20:17 Jonathan once again took an oath with David, because he loved him. In fact Jonathan loved him as much as he did his own life. ³ 

Genesis 21:23

21:23 Now swear to me right here in God’s name ⁴  that you will not deceive me, my children, or my descendants. ⁵  Show me, and the land ⁶  where you are staying, ⁷  the same loyalty ⁸  that I have shown you.” ⁹ 

Genesis 31:48

31:48 Laban said, “This pile of stones is a witness of our agreement ¹⁰  today.” That is why it was called Galeed.

Genesis 31:53

31:53 May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor, ¹¹  the gods of their father, judge between us.” Jacob took an oath by the God whom his father Isaac feared. ¹² 

Hebrews 6:16

6:16 For people ¹³  swear by something greater than themselves, ¹⁴  and the oath serves as a confirmation to end all dispute. ¹⁵ 

¹ tn Heb “cut.” The object of the verb (“covenant”) must be supplied.

² tn The word order is different in the Hebrew text, which reads “and Jonathan cut with the house of David, and the Lord will seek from the hand of the enemies of David.” The translation assumes that the main clauses of the verse have been accidentally transposed in the course of transmission. The first part of the verse (as it stands in MT) belongs with v. 17, while the second part of the verse actually continues v. 15.

³ tn Heb “for [with] the love of his [own] life he loved him.”

⁴ tn Heb “And now swear to me by God here.”

⁵ tn Heb “my offspring and my descendants.”

⁶ tn The word “land” refers by metonymy to the people in the land.

⁷ tn The Hebrew verb means “to stay, to live, to sojourn” as a temporary resident without ownership rights.

⁸ tn Or “kindness.”

⁹ tn Heb “According to the loyalty which I have done with you, do with me and with the land in which you are staying.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “a witness between me and you.”

¹¹ tn The God of Abraham and the god of Nahor. The Hebrew verb translated “judge” is plural, suggesting that Laban has more than one “god” in mind. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the LXX, apparently in an effort to make the statement monotheistic, have a singular verb. In this case one could translate, “May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” However, Laban had a polytheistic world view, as evidenced by his possession of household idols (cf. 31:19). The translation uses “God” when referring to Abraham’s God, for Genesis makes it clear that Abraham worshiped the one true God. It employs “god” when referring to Nahor’s god, for in the Hebrew text Laban refers to a different god here, probably one of the local deities.

¹² tn Heb “by the fear of his father Isaac.” See the note on the word “fears” in v. 42.

¹³ tn The plural Greek term ἄνθρωποι (anqrwpoi) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, and is thus translated “people.”

¹⁴ tn Grk “by something greater”; the rest of the comparison (“than themselves”) is implied.

¹⁵ tn Grk “the oath for confirmation is an end of all dispute.”