Hebrews 6:17

Wherein Rather, "on which principle;" "in accordance with this human custom."

willing Rather, "wishing." The verb is not thelôn, but boulomenos.

more abundantly i.e. than if he had not sworn.

unto the heirs of promise Rather, of thepromise." The heirs of the promise were primarily Abraham and his seed, and then all Christians (Galatians 3:29).

the immutability of his counsel "I am the Lord, I change not" (Malachi 3:6). See too Isaiah 46:10-11; Psalms 33:11; James 1:17.) His changeless "decree" was that in Abraham's seed all the nations of the world should be blessed. On the other hand the Mosaic law was mutable (Hebrews 7:12; Hebrews 12:27).

confirmed it by an oath Rather, "intervened with an oath," i.e. made His oath intermediate between Himself and Abraham. Philo, with his usual subtle refinements, observes that whereas ourword is accredited because of an oath, God's oath derives its credit because He is God. On the other hand, Rabbi Eleazer (in the second century) said "the word Nothas the force of an oath," which he deduced from a comparison of Genesis 9:11 with Isaiah 54:9; and therefore a fortiorithe word "yes" has the force of an oath (Shevuoth. f. 36. 1). The word "intervened," "mediated" (emesiteusen) occurs here only in the N.T.