- I call heaven:
- A most solemn method of adjuration, in use among all the nations in the world; God and man being called upon to bear testimony to the truth of what was spoken, that if there was any flaw or insincerity it might be detected, and if any crime, it might not go unpunished. Such appeals to God shew at once the origin and use of oaths. "I denounceª° unto you this day,ª that¹ ye shall surely²° perish,ª° [and that] ye shall not¹ prolongª° [your] daysª upon¹ the land,ª whither¹¹ thou¹ passest overª°¹ Jordanª to goª° to possessª° it. ... I callª°¹ heavenª and earthª to record²° this dayª against you, [that] I have setª° beforeª you lifeª and death,ª blessingª and cursing:ª therefore chooseª° life,ª that¹ both thou¹ and thy seedª may live:ª°" {Deu 30:18-19} + "Gatherª° unto¹ me¹ all¹ the eldersª of your tribes,ª and your officers,ª° that I may speakª°¹ these¹ wordsª in their ears,ª and callª°¹ heavenª and earthª to record²° against them." {Deu 31:28} + "Give ear,ª° O ye heavens,ª and I will speak;ª° and hear,ª° O earth,ª the wordsª of my mouth.ª" {Deu 32:1} + "Hear,ª° O heavens,ª and give ear,ª° O earth:ª for¹ the LORDª hath spoken,ª° I have nourishedª° and brought upª° children,ª and they¹ have rebelledª° against me." {Isa 1:2} + "Be astonished,ª° O ye heavens,ª at¹ this,¹ and be horribly afraid,ª° be ye veryª desolate,ª° saithª° the LORD.ª" {Jer 2:12} + "Hear,ª° O earth:ª behold,¹ I¹ will bringª° evilª upon¹ this¹ people,ª [even] the fruitª of their thoughts,ª because¹ they have not¹ hearkenedª° unto¹ my words,ª nor to my law,ª but rejectedª° it." {Jer 6:19} + "O earth,ª earth,ª earth,ª hearª° the wordª of the LORD.ª" {Jer 22:29} + "Therefore,¹ ye mountainsª of Israel,ª hearª° the wordª of the Lordª GOD;ª Thus¹ saithª° the Lordª GODª to the mountains,ª and to the hills,ª to the rivers,ª and to the valleys,ª to the desolateª° wastes,ª and to the citiesª that are forsaken,ª° which¹ became¹ a preyª and derisionª to the residueª of the heathenª that¹ [are] round about;ª¹" {Ezk 36:4} + "Hear,ª° all¹ ye people;ª hearken,ª° O earth,ª and all that therein² is:¹ and let the Lordª GODª be¹ witnessª against you, the Lordª from his holyª temple.ª¹" {Mic 1:2} + "Hearª° ye, O mountains,ª¹ the LORD'Sª controversy,ª and ye strongª foundationsª of the earth:ª for¹ the LORDª hath a controversyª with¹ his people,ª and he will pleadª° with¹ Israel.ª" {Mic 6:2}
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