Meaning of 3rd commandment: take the Lord's name in vain

[greenonions]

Typically, we think of taking the Lord's name in vain to mean "blasphemy" or "insult" of some sort.

Young's Literal Translation says this:
Exodus 20:7 `Thou dost not take up the name of Jehovah thy God for a vain thing, for Jehovah acquitteth not him who taketh up His name for a vain thing.

Note that it says "take up". That doesn't sound like "insult". It seems more like "lifting up" or "honouring".

As for the vain thing, could it mean an idol? So don't lift up God's name and give it to an idol e.g. golden calves?

Compare the use of the Hebrew word root for "vain thing" or "vanity" in the New King James Version. Somebody (but not all translators) thinks it can refer to an idol in those cases.

Psalm 24:4 YLT The clean of hands, and pure of heart, Who hath not lifted up to vanity his soul, Nor hath sworn to deceit.
Psalm 24:4 NKJV He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.

Jonah 2:8 YLT Those observing lying vanities their own mercy forsake.
Jonah 2:8 NKJV “Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy.

[Fenris]

The Hebrew word is תִשָּׂ֛א , which really means "carry". See Strong's 5375. The command would thus read, "You shall not carry the Lord's name in vain". This could be understood as a prohibition against ascribing God to one's actions when God never told someone to do those things. It's one thing to sin, and another entirely to say "God told me to do it". Don't besmirch God's name with your sin. 

[agnostic]

That's a good suggestion.

It's essentially the same interpretation that I've seen, which it might be related to prophecy. A fraud saying "Thus saith the LORD, ____"

[RabbiKnife]

When the preacher says "The Lord told me to tell you..." when the Lord said no such thing, then nix.  3rd broken.

When you say "I am a person of God" and you live like a minion of hell, then nix.  3rd broken.

When you use "God," "Jesus," or faith as a marketing tool, then nix.  3rd broken.

[greenonions]

Thank you Fenris, Agnostic, and RabbiKnife

I guess the term "in vain" wasn't very clear to me, since it is a noun in Hebrew and an adjective in English. I do see that Exodus 23:1 uses the same word H7723 together with "carry" (H5375) in the way that Fenris described... basically vain could refers to something false. So does lying as a witness under oath break the 3rd and 9th commandments?

Exodus 23:1 YLT `Thou dost not lift up a vain report; thou dost not put thy hand with a wicked man to be a violent witness.

[Fenris]

So does lying as a witness under oath break the 3rd and 9th commandments?

This is an interesting observation.

[Not Worthy]

Typically, we think of taking the Lord's name in vain to mean "blasphemy" or "insult" of some sort.

Young's Literal Translation says this:
Exodus 20:7 `Thou dost not take up the name of Jehovah thy God for a vain thing, for Jehovah acquitteth not him who taketh up His name for a vain thing.

Note that it says "take up". That doesn't sound like "insult". It seems more like "lifting up" or "honouring".

As for the vain thing, could it mean an idol? So don't lift up God's name and give it to an idol e.g. golden calves?

Compare the use of the Hebrew word root for "vain thing" or "vanity" in the New King James Version. Somebody (but not all translators) thinks it can refer to an idol in those cases.

Psalm 24:4 YLT The clean of hands, and pure of heart, Who hath not lifted up to vanity his soul, Nor hath sworn to deceit.
Psalm 24:4 NKJV He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.

Jonah 2:8 YLT Those observing lying vanities their own mercy forsake.
Jonah 2:8 NKJV “Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy.

I like this post of yours because I recently (whether correctly or incorrectly) saw a connection between "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain. For the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain."; and what is commanded immediately before it:

"You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make to yourselves any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them. For I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and fourth generation of those that hate me, and showing mercy to thousands of those that love Me and keep My commandments."

The next sentence is "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain. For the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain."

So it's interesting that you should post something along those same lines (if I correctly understand what you are saying).

[agnostic]

So does lying as a witness under oath break the 3rd and 9th commandments?

For Christians and Jews, perhaps.

In the US at least, swearing on a Bible or "so help you God" is not legally required, it's simply the norm.

[greenonions]

Thanks. It's the correct interpretation that matters most.

Typically, we think of taking the Lord's name in vain to mean "blasphemy" or "insult" of some sort.

Young's Literal Translation says this:
Exodus 20:7 `Thou dost not take up the name of Jehovah thy God for a vain thing, for Jehovah acquitteth not him who taketh up His name for a vain thing.

Note that it says "take up". That doesn't sound like "insult". It seems more like "lifting up" or "honouring".

As for the vain thing, could it mean an idol? So don't lift up God's name and give it to an idol e.g. golden calves?

Compare the use of the Hebrew word root for "vain thing" or "vanity" in the New King James Version. Somebody (but not all translators) thinks it can refer to an idol in those cases.

Psalm 24:4 YLT The clean of hands, and pure of heart, Who hath not lifted up to vanity his soul, Nor hath sworn to deceit.
Psalm 24:4 NKJV He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.

Jonah 2:8 YLT Those observing lying vanities their own mercy forsake.
Jonah 2:8 NKJV “Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy.

I like this post of yours because I recently (whether correctly or incorrectly) saw a connection between "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain. For the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain."; and what is commanded immediately before it:

"You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make to yourselves any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them. For I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and fourth generation of those that hate me, and showing mercy to thousands of those that love Me and keep My commandments."

The next sentence is "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain. For the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain."

So it's interesting that you should post something along those same lines (if I correctly understand what you are saying).