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
Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their …
Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
But, O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance …
But, O Lord of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy …
But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the Lord: and I will kindle a …
Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of …
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 …
And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth …
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was …