Symbolism of raising right hand when taking an oath?

Question

Symbolism of raising right hand when taking an oath?

Answer 1

it shows that you are promising to god (and that you arent crossing your fingers)

Answer 2

I suspect the true reason for raising one's right hand when taking an oath is even more graphic.

From earliest times in the cradle of western civilization (the Middle East) the right hand was the "clean" hand, the only hand with which it was permissible to touch another (shaking hands) and to touch food. The left hand was used for bodily functions and therefore "unclean." The punishment for theft was amputation of the right hand -- effectively, death, since one was not allowed to eat with the left hand.

One would raise the right hand to swear, offering it to be severed if the testimony proved false.

Answer 3

Your swearing to tell the truth (to god).

Answer 4

Don't quote me on this, and I don't expect best answer for it, but my guess is that when you do that, you  are saying, 'Hand to God I am telling the truth".

Answer 5

The assumption is that most people are people are right handed; so the bulk of one's strength is in the right hand. Raising it shows that the person is not using it for anything devious or harmful to the person looking on, or is innocent.

It is a sign of surrender.