18:3. God takes an oath and swears on himself as the eternal Lord. The phrase “as I live” is sometimes used by humans (e.g., Job in Job 27:6, and the psalmist in Ps. 104:33), but the primary speaker is God (e.g., Num. 14:21; Isa. 49:18; Jer. 22:24; and sixteen times in Ezekiel). God commands that the proverb no longer be spoken since it expresses error of doctrine and results in fatalistic attitudes. God’s action against Israel in judgment, and later on behalf of Israel in restoration, would eradicate