Jeremiah 17:10
I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
Study Note
Study Note
'I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds' — the divine self-description as the searcher of hearts (bochen kelayot valev, literally 'kidneys and heart') grounds just retribution in omniscient moral knowledge. The 'heart' (lev) in Hebrew thought was the seat of will and reason; 'kidneys' (kelayot) the seat of deep inner life — God's examination penetrates to what no human observer can access. The verse follows immediately the teaching on the incurably wicked heart (Jeremiah 17:9) and precedes the blessing-and-curse contrast of 17:7–8, situating moral evaluation in a context of both anthropological realism and divine discernment. The retributive principle 'according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds' is foundational for the biblical theology of judgment, appearing in Revelation 20:12 and Matthew 16:27.
Other Translations
I, Jehovah, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.
I Jehovah do search the heart, try the reins, Even to give to each according to his way, According to the fruit of his doings.
I the Lord am the searcher of the heart, the tester of the thoughts, so that I may give to every man the reward of his ways, in keeping with the fruit of his doings.
Cross References
But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I …
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and …
I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the …
Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, …
Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth …
Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.
O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.