Jeremiah 17:10

“I, YHWH, search the heart, I test the kidneys, to give to each one according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
Jeremiah 17:10 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

I,אֲנִיYHWH,יְהוָהsearchחֹקֵרthe heart,לֵבI testבֹּחֵןthe kidneys,כְּלָיוֹתto giveוְלָתֵתto each oneלְאִישׁaccording to his ways,כִּדְרָכָיוaccording to the fruitכִּפְרִיof his deeds.מַעֲלָלָיו

Allusion · Revelation 2:23

Go to Revelation 2:23

Both texts say that the one who searches kidneys and hearts gives to each one according to his deeds.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

חֹקֵרjokerH2713ἐραυνῶνeraunōnG2045“search, examine”
כְּלָיוֹתkelayotH3629νεφροὺςnephrousG3510“kidneys”
לֵבlevH3820καρδίαςkardiasG2588“heart”
תֵתtetH5414δώσωdōsōG1325“give, put, hand over”
מַעֲלָלָיmaalalayH4611ἔργαergaG2041“work, deed”

Jeremiah 17:10, word by word

YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears

searchחֹקֵרchoker

search out, examine

Search out: examine something thoroughly.

Where else “choker” appears

the heartלֵבlev

heart

The deepest part of a person: where they think, feel and decide.

Where else “lev” appears

I testבֹּחֵןbochen

test, examine

Test, examine to find out whether something is true or genuine, as metal is tested.

Where else “bochen” appears

the kidneysכְּלָיוֹתkelayot

inmost self

A person's innermost self, their feelings.

Where else “kelayot” appears

to giveתֵתtet

give

To hand something over to someone: a gift, a payment, a charge or a land.

Where else “tet” appears

to each oneאִישׁish

each

Literally "a man": any person; with "not", not a single person.

Where else “ish” appears

according to his waysדְרָכָיderachay

manner

The way one lives and acts.

Where else “derachay” appears

according to the fruitפְרִיferi

fruit

What a tree or the land produces, which is eaten.

Where else “feri” appears

of his deedsמַעֲלָלָיmaalalay

deeds, doings

Deeds, doings; what someone does, good or bad.

Where else “maalalay” appears

Translation note

Cf. Revelation 2:23.

The context

9Deceitful is the heart above all things, and beyond remedy it is; who can know it?

10 · This verse (above)

11A partridge that hatches what it did not lay is the one who makes riches and not by justice; in the middle of his days he will leave it, and at his end he will be a fool.

Read all of Jeremiah 17

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