The lawful purpose of, explained
  Hebrews 6:16  
 Antiquity of
  Genesis 14:22; 24:3,8  
 USED FOR   Confirming covenants
  Genesis 26:28; 31:44,53; 1 Samuel 20:16,17   
 Deciding controversies in courts of law
  Exodus 22:11; Numbers 5:19; 1 Kings 8:31   
 Pledging allegiance to sovereigns
  2 Kings 11:4; Ecclesiastes 8:2   
 Binding to performance of sacred duties
  Numbers 30:2; 2 Chronicles 15:14,15; Nehemiah 10:29; Psalm 132:2   
 Binding to performance of any particular act
  Genesis 24:3,4; 50:25; Joshua 2:12   
 Judicial from of administering
  1 Kings 22:16; Matthew 26:63  
 Often accompanied by raising up the hand
  Genesis 14:22; Daniel 12:7; Revelation 10:5,6  
 Often accompanied by placing the hand under the thigh of the Person sworn to
  Genesis 24:2,9; 47:29  
 To be taken in fear and reverence
  Ecclesiastes 9:2  
 THE JEWS   Forbidden to take, in name of idols
  Joshua 23:7   
 Forbidden to take in the name of any created thing
  Matthew 5:34-36; James 5:12   
 Forbidden to take false
  Leviticus 6:3; Zechariah 8:17   
 Forbidden to take rash, or unholy
  Leviticus 5:4   
 To use God's name alone in
  Deuteronomy 6:13; 10:20; Isaiah 65:16   
 To take, in truth, judgment, &c
  Jeremiah 4:2   
 Generally respected the obligation of
  Joshua 9:19,20; 2 Samuel 21:7; Psalm 15:4; Matthew 14:9   
 Fell into many errors respecting
  Matthew 23:16-22   
 Often guilty of rashly taking
  Judges 21:7; Matthew 14:7; 26:72   
 Often guilty of falsely taking
  Leviticus 6:3; Jeremiah 5:2; 7:9   
 Condemned for false
  Zechariah 5:4; Malachi 3:5   
 Condemned for profane
  Jeremiah 23:10; Hosea 4:2   
 INSTANCES OF RASH, &c   Joshua, &c
  Joshua 9:15,16   
 Jephthah
  Judges 11:30-36   
 Saul
  1 Samuel 14:27,44   
 Herod
  Matthew 14:7-9   
 The Jews who sought to kill Paul
  Acts 23:21   
 Custom of swearing by the life of the king
  Genesis 42:15,16  
 EXPRESSIONS USED AS   By the fear of Isaac
  Genesis 31:53   
 As the Lord liveth
  Judges 8:19; Ruth 3:13   
 The Lord do so to me, and more also
  Ruth 1:17   
 God do so to thee, and more also
  1 Samuel 3:17   
 By the Lord
  2 Samuel 19:7; 1 Kings 2:42   
 God do so to thee and more also
  1 Samuel 3:17   
 Before God I lie not
  Galatians 1:20   
 I call God for a record
  2 Corinthians 1:23   
 God is witness
  1 Thessalonians 2:5   
 I charge you by the Lord
  1 Thessalonians 5:27   
 As thy soul liveth
  1 Samuel 1:26; 25:26   
 God used, to show the immutability of his counsel
  Genesis 22:16; Numbers 14:28; 6:17