9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
10 I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.
Focused Passage
Jeremiah 17:9-10
The Engraved Sin, the Deceitful Heart, and the Sabbath Test
The chapter moves from Judah's engraved sin and forfeited inheritance, to a wisdom contrast between cursed trust in man and blessed trust in the LORD, to the LORD's search of the deceitful heart, to a proverb against unjust gain, to Jeremiah's confession of the LORD as sanctuary and fountain, to his prayer for healing and vindication, and finally to a covenant Sabbath test at Jerusalem's gates with promised blessing for obedience and fiery judgment for refusal.
Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources
Study Helps
References and Original Words
Verse 9
Cross-references
Original words
The heart הַלֵּ֛ב H3820 Article | Noun - masculine singular [is] deceitful עָקֹ֥ב H6121 Adjective - masculine singular above all things מִכֹּ֖ל H3605 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular and beyond cure וְאָנֻ֣שׁ H605 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular . . . ה֑וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular Who מִ֖י H4310 Interrogative can understand it יֵדָעֶֽנּוּ׃ H3045 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Verse 10
Cross-references
Original words
I אֲנִ֧י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular the LORD יְהוָ֛ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular search חֹקֵ֥ר H2713 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular the heart לֵ֖ב H3820 Noun - masculine singular I examine בֹּחֵ֣ן H974 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular the mind כְּלָי֑וֹת H3629 Noun - feminine plural to reward וְלָתֵ֤ת H5414 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct a man לְאִישׁ֙ H376 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular according to his way כְּדַרְכּוֹ H1870 Preposition-k | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular by what his deeds מַעֲלָלָֽיו׃ס H4611 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular deserve כִּפְרִ֖י H6529 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct
BSB notes
- Hebrew kidneys