Deuteronomy 6:13

13 Let the fear of the Lord your God be in your hearts, and be his servants, taking your oaths by his name.

Deuteronomy 6:13 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 6:13

Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him
Serve him through fear; not through slavish fear, a fear of hell and damnation; but through filial fear, a reverential affection for that God that had brought them out of a state of bondage into great and glorious liberty, out of Egypt into Canaan's land, out of a place of misery into a land of plenty; and therefore should fear the Lord and his goodness, and from such a fear of him serve him, in every part of worship, public and private, enjoined; this passage Christ refers to ( Matthew 4:10 )

and shalt swear by his name;
when they made a covenant with any, or were called to bear a testimony for the decision of any controversy which could not be otherwise finished; or whenever they took an oath on any account, which should never be taken rashly or on any trivial account, and much less falsely; it should be taken not in the name of any idol, or of any other but the true and living God; the Targum of Jonathan is,

``in the name of the Word of the Lord, in truth ye shall swear.''

Deuteronomy 6:13 In-Context

11 And houses full of good things not stored up by you, and places for storing water which you did not make, and vine-gardens and olive-trees not of your planting; and you have taken food and are full;

12 Then take care that you keep your hearts true to the Lord, who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the prison-house.

13 Let the fear of the Lord your God be in your hearts, and be his servants, taking your oaths by his name.

14 Do not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples round about you;

15 For the Lord your God who is with you is a God who will not let his honour be given to another; or the wrath of the Lord will be burning against you, causing your destruction from the face of the earth.