<P> It is a prohibition of blasphemy, specifically, the misuse or "taking in vain" of the name of the God of Israel, or using His name to commit evil . Exodus 20: 7 reads: </P> <Dl> <Dd> "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain ." (KJV). </Dd> </Dl> <Dd> "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain ." (KJV). </Dd> <P> Based on this commandment, Second Temple Judaism by the Hellenistic period developed a taboo of pronouncing the name of God at all, resulting in the replacement of the Tetragrammaton by "Adonai" (literally "my lords"--see Adonai) in pronunciation . </P>

What exactly is taking the lord's name in vain