Deuteronomy 5:29
in Deuteronomy 5If only they had such a heart to fear Me and keep all My commandments always, so that it might be well with them and with their children forever.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!
KJV
O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!
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This verse in Deuteronomy 5
Commentary
5 notes on this verseO that there were such a heart in them - Or rather, מי יתן והיה לבבם זה mi yitten vehayah lebabam zeh, Who will give such a heart to them, that they may fear, etc. They refuse to receive such a heart from me; who then can supply it? If they had not been such perfectly free agents as could either use or abuse their liberty, could God have made the complaint or expressed the earnest desire we find in this verse?
This site's exposition
And the Lord heard the voice of your words
on Deuteronomy 5:28-29
God calls the request good, they have well said all that they have spoken, so the fear behind it draws no rebuke. Verse 29 is then a wish, O that there were such an heart in them, and it names the one thing obedience would need and Israel did not have. The command at 10:16 to circumcise the foreskin of the heart and the promise at 30:6 that God will circumcise it both answer this verse, five and twenty-five chapters on. Jeremiah 31:33 and Ezekiel 36:26 carry the same want forward into the prophets.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
. [1.] Such a heart as they should have, a heart to fear God, and keep his commandments for ever. Note, The God of heaven is truly and earnestly desirous of the welfare and salvation of poor sinners.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
O that there were such an heart in them,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Oh, that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me--God can bestow such a heart, and has promised to give it, wherever it is asked (Jer 32:40).
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מִֽי־ | mi- | who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| יִתֵּ֡ן | yiten | will he give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| וְהָיָה֩ | vehayah | and it will belong | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְבָבָ֨ם | levavam | heart their | H3824 → | 252 times |
| זֶ֜ה | zeh | this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| לָהֶ֗ם | lahem | to them | ||
| לְיִרְאָ֥ה | leyirah | to fear | H3372 → | 315 times |
| אֹתִ֛י | ʾoti | <obj.> me | H853 → | 10935 times |
| וְלִשְׁמֹ֥ר | velishmor | and to keep | H8104 → | 468 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מִצְוֹתַ֖י | mitzvotai | commandments my | H4687 → | 181 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַיָּמִ֑ים | haiyamim | the days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| לְמַ֨עַן | lemaan | so that | H4616 → | 272 times |
| יִיטַ֥ב | yitav | it may go well | H3190 → | 117 times |
| לָהֶ֛ם | lahem | for them | ||
| וְלִבְנֵיהֶ֖ם | velivneihem | and for children their | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| לְעֹלָֽם׃ | leolam | for ever | H5769 → | 438 times |
מִֽי־who?
mi-H4310 →423 times
יִתֵּ֡ןwill he give
yitenH5414 →2011 times
וְהָיָה֩and it will belong
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
לְבָבָ֨םheart their
levavamH3824 →252 times
זֶ֜הthis
zehH2088 →1180 times
לָהֶ֗םto them
lahem
לְיִרְאָ֥הto fear
leyirahH3372 →315 times
אֹתִ֛י<obj.> me
ʾotiH853 →10935 times
וְלִשְׁמֹ֥רand to keep
velishmorH8104 →468 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
מִצְוֹתַ֖יcommandments my
mitzvotaiH4687 →181 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הַיָּמִ֑יםthe days
haiyamimH3117 →2304 times
לְמַ֨עַןso that
lemaanH4616 →272 times
יִיטַ֥בit may go well
yitavH3190 →117 times
לָהֶ֛םfor them
lahem
וְלִבְנֵיהֶ֖םand for children their
velivneihemH1121 →4930 times
לְעֹלָֽם׃for ever
leolamH5769 →438 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 19:42and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 32:29
If only they were wise, they would understand it; they would comprehend their fate.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 32:29
Through
Matthew 23:37O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you…
it leads to
- Luke 13:34–35
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you…
- Psalms 91:4
He will cover you with His feathers; under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and rampart.
- Ruth 2:12
May the LORD repay your work, and may you receive a rich reward from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have taken refuge.”
- Deuteronomy 32:11–12
As an eagle stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, He spread His wings to catch them and carried them on His pinions.
- Psalms 17:8
Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings
- Luke 13:34–35
Through
Isaiah 48:18If only you had paid attention to My commandments, your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like waves of the sea.
it leads to
- Psalms 119:165
Abundant peace belongs to those who love Your law; nothing can make them stumble.
- Isaiah 66:12
For this is what the LORD says: “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flowing stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm,…
- Psalms 119:165
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.