Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Mga Awit 89:36

It is well to note how Moses phrased this legislation when he commenced with זה הדבר אשר צוה ה'. He continues with איש כי ידור נדר לה', instead of merely saying איש כי ידור נדר אליו, repeating the word לה' unnecessarily. Moses had to repeat that word to allude to the power of the vow which is greater, i.e. above that of the שבועה, oath, a word limited to “seven” as it is derived from the word שבעה, seven, and subject to its limitations. Seeing that the vow possesses such a superior power it applies even to mandatory commandments and when one pronounces such a vow the wording of which overrides such a commandment this is not as if one had not said anything at all as is the case when one pronounces an oath the wording of which overrides such a commandment. The whole Torah legislation, i.e. the מצות, are products of the regions within these seven celestial regions They represent the seven different types of voices (sounds) the Israelites heard during the giving of the Torah as we explained in our commentary on Exodus 20,1. [Compare our translation ibid. Ed.] This also accounts for the fact that the preposition used by the Torah for the word שבועה, oath, is invariably the preposition ב, such as אשר נשבעת להם בך, (Exodus 32,13); בי נשבעתי (Genesis 22,16) or ובשמו תשבע (Deut. 6,13). נשבע ה' בימינו (Isaiah 62,8) “The Lord swore by His right hand,” Seeing that we learned in Nazir 3 that if someone says ימין [i.e. “by my right”] this is a form of oath, the idea of “swearing an oath” is associated with the party declaring it is a partner of the concept of the seven, שבעה, celestial regions and what they represent.
The word נדר, vow, on the other hand, is always associated with the preposition ל, pointing at something above the object or party referred to by the one making the vow. We have Psalms 132,2 נדר לאביר יעקב, or here איש כי ידור נדר לה', or in Psalms 24,1: לה' הארץ ומלואה. When you appreciate what we have just pointed out you will understand the meaning of Sifri Mattot 153 that whereas when someone renders an oath he swears by the person of the king, when he vows a vow he swears by the life of the king. The essence of the king is his life, in the case of the Lord, His eternal life. The Sifri there points to Elisha saying to Elijah “by the life of the Lord and the life of your soul, I will not abandon you,” as an indication that the expression בחיי is the ultimate statement of this sort (Kings II 2,7).

If Pharaoh lives. If understood literally, [חי פרעה means “Pharaoh’s life,” then the verse is not understandable. Thus Rashi added the word “if” (אם) so that it means, “If Pharaoh lives you shall not leave from here.” Accordingly, אם conveys a negative. It is like אם לדוד אכזב (Tehillim 89:36), which means, “I will not lie to David.” From our verse it follows that if you do leave, Pharaoh will not live. Yet, they left [with Yoseif’s permission], proving that “Whenever he swore falsely [he would swear by Pharaoh’s life].”

NOW THEREFORE SWEAR UNTO ME HERE BY G-D ‘IM’ (IF) YOU WILL BE FALSE TO ME. The word im always expresses doubt — do not think of it in any other way³⁴⁵Ramban’s intent is to differ with Rashi, who, in Leviticus 2:14, explains im to mean “that.” See Ramban there, where he explains it in a manner consistent with his teaching here. — and it appears in most places in connection with an oath: If you will be false to me;³⁴⁶In the present verse. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli ‘im’ (if) the iniquity of Eli’s house shall be expiated;³⁴⁷I Samuel 3:14. Once I have sworn by My holiness ‘im’ (if) I will be false unto David;³⁴⁸Psalms 89:36. ‘im’ (if) they should enter into My rest;³⁴⁹Ibid., 95:11. And he was wroth, and swore, saying, ‘im’ (if) one of these men will see.³⁵⁰Deuteronomy 1:34-35.
The purport of this is that since oaths are given with imprecation, Abimelech is stating, “Swear to me, saying, G-d do so to me, and more also³⁵¹II Samuel 3:35. if you will be false to me.” Likewise it is said, Let there now be an oath between us.³⁵²Further, 26:28. And in the matter of a Divine oath: I have sworn by My holiness if I will be false to David;³⁴⁸Psalms 89:36. if the iniquity of Eli’s house shall be expiated,³⁴⁷I Samuel 3:14. meaning “If that will be so, then My word is not true,” and in similar cases, since it does not want to expressly state the condition.³⁵³Namely, that “if that be so, My word is not true.” Scripture modifies and shortens these expressions. A similar case of a shortened condition is the verse, And Jabez called on the G-d of Israel, saying: Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, etc., and that Thou wouldest work deliverance from evil that it may not pain me. And G-d granted him that which he requested.³⁵⁴I Chronicles 4:10. Here the entire condition³⁵⁵Namely, his vow of offering to G-d. is missing. A similar example is the verse, If they will see the land,³⁵⁶Numbers 14:23. referring back to the first verse, As I live, and all shall be filled with the glory of the Eternal,³⁵⁷Ibid., Verse 21. and Scripture shortens the Divine oath.
The expression, false to me, is because Abimelech was a king, and Abraham dwelt in his land. [Thus, if Abraham were to do him evil, it would be an act of disloyalty towards him in his royal capacity], or it would be a betrayal of Abimelech’s love for him, as he [Abimelech] was his trustworthy friend, honoring him and doing his will. For you see that Abraham found no fault with him except the well of water, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away,³⁵⁸Verse 25 here. and the king said to him, According to the kindness that I have done unto thee.³⁵⁹Verse 23 here.