3375. 'And I will fulfil the oath which I swore to Abraham your father' means confirmation. This is clear from the meaning of 'an oath' or 'swearing' as confirmation, dealt with in 2842. Here it does not say that the covenant made with Abraham is to be fulfilled but that 'the oath' will be. The reason for this is that 'a covenant' has reference to what is celestial, which is good, whereas 'an oath' has reference to what is spiritual, namely truths, see 3037; and truths are the subject here. For the same reason also in verse 31 below it is not said of Isaac that he made a covenant with Abimelech but that 'he swore to him, a man to his brother', whereas in Genesis 21:32 it is said of Abraham that he and Abimelech 'made a covenant'; see Psalms 105:9. By the confirmation here which is meant by 'an oath' is understood the Lord's being joined to those who are in His kingdom, for an oath is the confirmation of a covenant, and by 'a covenant' is meant being joined together, 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021.

3037. 'And who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying' means the Divine itself from whom came His Divine will and understanding. This is clear from the meaning of 'speaking' as perceiving, dealt with in 3029, and also as willing, 2626; and from the meaning of 'swearing' as confirmation from the Divine and as that which has reference to truths which belong to the understanding, 2842. When Jehovah is referred to as 'speaking' the meaning in the internal sense is that He wills, for whatever Jehovah speaks He also wills. But when Jehovah is referred to as 'swearing' the meaning in the internal sense is that He understands it to be true. Thus when used in reference to Jehovah, 'swearing' means understanding, as becomes clear also from the places quoted from the Word in 2842.