King Yannai and the Towns Destroyed Over a True Oath

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Matot 1:3

If all these <attributes> are within you, you are able to swear; but if not, you are not permitted to swear. There is a story about King Yannai, who had two thousand towns on the King's Mountain, and all of them were destroyed on account of a true oath. How so? A person would say to his fellow with an oath, "I am going and will eat such-and-such in such-and-such a place, and I will drink such-and-such in such-and-such a place." And they would go and fulfill their oath, and they were destroyed. Now if this is what happens to one who swears truthfully, then as for one who swears falsely, how much more so!

Themes

Biblical References