9The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
10I, 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 heartהַלֵּ֛בH3820Article | Noun - masculine singular[is] deceitfulעָקֹ֥בH6121Adjective - masculine singularabove all thingsמִכֹּ֖לH3605Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singularand beyond cureוְאָנֻ֣שׁH605Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular. . .ה֑וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularWhoמִ֖יH4310Interrogativecan understand itיֵדָעֶֽנּוּ׃H3045Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Verse 10
Cross-references
Original words
Iאֲנִ֧יH589Pronoun - first person common singularthe LORDיְהוָ֛הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsearchחֹקֵ֥רH2713Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularthe heartלֵ֖בH3820Noun - masculine singularI examineבֹּחֵ֣ןH974Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularthe mindכְּלָי֑וֹתH3629Noun - feminine pluralto rewardוְלָתֵ֤תH5414Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructa manלְאִישׁ֙H376Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularaccording to his wayכְּדַרְכּוֹH1870Preposition-k | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singularby what his deedsמַעֲלָלָֽיו׃סH4611Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singulardeserveכִּפְרִ֖יH6529Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct
BSB notes
- Hebrew kidneys