to swear
sha.va denotes taking a solemn oath or pledge, and in Hiphil forms requiring another person to do so.
The supplied verses chiefly show the term for taking a solemn oath, whether a person makes a commitment or the LORD declares what he will do; the Hiphil forms show a person requiring others to give such an oath. The clauses commonly state the pledged action, invoke the LORD, or attach an oath to a covenant or command.
Senses in use
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Taking a solemn oath or making a pledged declaration · dominant
Niphal forms mark oath-taking in commitments and declarations: in 1 Kings 1:30 the APB renders David's stated commitment concerning Solomon, while in 1 Samuel 20:42 it renders Jonathan and David's mutual pledge in the name of the LORD. The same form introduces divine declarations in Deuteronomy 1:8 and Amos 8:7, where the APB renders the LORD's pledged giving of land and his declaration not to forget their deeds.
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Requiring someone else to give an oath · occasional
Hiphil forms occur where a speaker places others under an oath. In Genesis 24:3 the APB renders a speaker requiring his servant to make a commitment about a wife for his son; in 1 Kings 2:42 it renders the king recalling that Shimei had been made to swear concerning leaving his place. In 1 Samuel 14:28, the people are described as being placed under a strict oath tied to eating food that day.
In the Anselm Project Bible: Across the supplied verses, the APB commonly uses “swore” for Niphal oath-taking and “make you swear” or “placed... under a strict oath” for Hiphil forms. These renderings confirm the clauses' oath contexts rather than supplying a separate definition for every occurrence.