III. In the third command the exegetical question is whether it refers primarily and properly to perjury, or to profanity, _i. e._ whether the Hebrew word for “_in vain_”[40] is precisely falsehood, or emptiness, a nothing, a thing of no worth. The current of critical opinion (Gesenius, Fuerst, etc.) goes for the former, falsehood; and makes the precept in its strict sense condemn perjury. Thou shalt not take up the name of Jehovah to a falsehood――shalt not use it to affirm the more solemnly what is false. Yet as what is false has no foundation in fact, and in point of truth is nothing――is only an emptiness――it comes to pass that this Hebrew word takes not infrequently this secondary sense; what is _empty_, _vain_. Hence some able critics [_e. g._ Keil] construe this precept to prohibit “all employment of the name of God for vain and unworthy objects so as to include not only false swearing, but trivial swearing in the ordinary intercourse of life and every use of the name of God in the service of untruth and lying――for imprecations, witchcraft, or conjuring.”――――The construction of Keil, being the more broad and comprehensive, and withal being clearly within the established usage of the original word, is to be preferred. The doctrine of inspiration is――“Thy commandment is exceeding broad” (Ps. 119: 96).――――The _name_ of God is associated closely with the idea and thought of God. Hence all irreverent use of this name naturally begets irreverence of spirit toward God, and must be fearfully pernicious. Using God’s sacred name to affirm the more solemnly a falsehood is more than mere irreverence, and must incur his highest displeasure. The fourth command――the law of the Sabbath――has been already treated somewhat fully in connection with the original institution of the Sabbath in Eden. I must dissent entirely from those critics who deny the existence of any Sabbath law prior to Sinai. To “bless the seventh day and sanctify it” (as said in Gen. 2: 3) has no meaning if it do not mean that God required the day to be one of rest from labor――a day of holy time, devoted to other than ordinary uses.――――Fully in harmony with this construction of these words is the allusion to the Sabbath in the history of the manna (Ex. 16: 22–30), and also the _form_ of the precept here (Ex. 20: 8), which is not precisely――Thou shalt do all thy work during six days, but none on the seventh;――but it is this: “_Remember_ the Sabbath-day to keep it holy.” The implied injunction of the words spoken in Eden was――make it a holy day. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy: now, therefore, _remember_ that original injunction. To remember a previous day made holy, must surely imply a precept setting it apart as holy time.