Verses 16-17 illustrate a method of argument often used in Jewish writings as well as in other cultures: If “B” is greater than “A,” then anything said about “A” must be even more true of “B” (compare 10.25; 12.25; Matt 6.30; Rom 5.7-9). In particular, anything good said about human beings must be even more true of God.

A person is emphatic and general; it is literally “people,” whether men or women. As in verse 13, the Greek for someone may also mean “something” (Knox, Jerusalem Bible, Segond, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Some commentators think this means “God,” but Matthew 23.16-22, for example, speaks of swearing by inanimate objects. The contrast is between God swearing by himself (verse 13b) and human beings swearing (verse 16). It may be helpful to make this clear by inserting some such phrase as “human beings, on the other hand, use the name of someone greater….”

As in the case of the term vow in verse 13, it may not be possible to render vow in verse 16 with a somewhat technical formula such as “making a strong promise by calling God to witness.” In the context of verse 16 it may therefore be best to translate “when a person makes a firm promise,” “… a strong promise,” or even “when a person promises with strong words.”

The expression he uses the name of someone greater than himself may be rendered as “he calls to witness someone greater than himself” or “he makes a promise on behalf of someone greater than himself.” In this context greater may be a matter either of importance or of authority.

The last clause of this verse means that, whenever people are contradicting one another, an oath acts as a guarantee and puts an end to the dispute. In this context the oath is a solemn statement such as “I swear by God that what I say is true,” rather than a solemn promise to do something in the future. The statement the vow settles all arguments must be amplified in some languages in order to make it clear; for example, “one person calls God to witness that something is true, and in this way people no longer argue” or “… and because of this people no longer argue.”

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Letter of the Hebrews. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .