Jeremiah 32:39
in Jeremiah 32I will give them one heart and one way, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and for the good of their children after them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:
KJV
And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:
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This verse in Jeremiah 32
Commentary
12 notes on this verse(Verse 39) And I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. And those who confidently dwell in Christ have been given one heart, according to what is written: Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul (Acts IV, 32). And he said, I am the way, the truth, and the life (John XIV, 6). And let them fear me all the days. For the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs IX).
This site's exposition
Now therefore, about this city of
on Jeremiah 32:36-41
“Now therefore” turns the oracle from indictment to promise. The everlasting covenant gives “one heart and one way,” so obedience is a gift, as in the new covenant of chapter 31. Verse 41 names the LORD's gladness, in words rare in the book: “I will rejoice in doing them good.”
This site's exposition
one heart and one way
Wesley reads one heart as agreement of mind and one way as common worship by the rule God gave. Spurgeon sets it against the divided heart, which the Hebrew calls a heart and a heart. The fear promised here serves the children too.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
(Verse 37 and following) Behold, I will gather them from all the lands to which I have driven them in my anger, in my wrath, and in great indignation, and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell securely. They will be my people, and I will be their God. And I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and for the good of their children after them.
The prophet Jeremiah, speaking in the person of God, clearly tells us that the fear of God by which we can hold on to him comes from the Lord: "I shall give them one heart and one way so that they may fear me during all their days, so that all will be well for them and for their children after them. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, and I shall not cease to do good things for them, and, as a gift, I shall put fear of me in their hearts so that they may never go away from me."
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
God's judgments came gradually upon them, but, they not meeting him by repentance in the way of his judgments, he proceeded in his controversy till all was laid waste, which was in the eleventh year of Zedekiah; now what is here recorded happened in the tenth.
One heart - I will give them union and concord, one mind and judgment. One way - They shall all worship me according, to the rule I have given them.
And I will give them one heart and one way,....
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Now what God requires of them he here promises to work in them, pursuant to his choice of them as his people. Note, As it is God's prerogative to fashion men's hearts, so it is his promise to his people to fashion theirs aright; and a heart to fear God is indeed a good heart, and well fashioned.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
I will give them one heart - And that a clean one. And one way - And that a holy and safe one: and to have this clean heart, and to walk in this good way, will be for the good of them and their children after them. God’s blessing is a profitable inheritance. They shall have but one object of worship, and one way of salvation; and being saved from sin, idolatry, and destruction, they must necessarily be happy within and happy without.
THOSE of you who were present last Lord's-Day morning will remember my sermon upon "Mongrel Religion," [Sermon #1622] in which I dealt with those who feared the Lord and served other gods. Their heart was divided and, therefore, they were found faulty. They had, as the Hebrew puts it, a heart and a heart—a heart that went this way and a heart that went the other way. And so, as a matter of fact, they became, as the Prophet says, as "a silly dove that has no heart."
THOSE of you who were present last Lord's-Day morning will remember my sermon upon "Mongrel Religion," [Sermon #1622] in which I dealt with those who feared the Lord and served other gods. Their heart was divided and, therefore, they were found faulty. They had, as the Hebrew puts it, a heart and a heart—a heart that went this way and a heart that went the other way. And so, as a matter of fact, they became, as the Prophet says, as "a silly dove that has no heart." The discourse of this morning is intended to exhibit wholehearted religion which is the opposite of the sad mixture which we have so lately denounced. We wish to look upon persons of Caleb's stamp, who followed the Lord fully— in whom, by the Grace of God, the divided heart has become united—so that with their whole heart they serve the Lord their God. Our text is an extract from Jeremiah's copy of the Covenant of Grace. The Lord promises to Israel, "They shall be My people, and I will be their God." And in the 40th verse He says, "And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me." This, then, is the Covenant of Grace which God has made with His people and it is highly suggestive that the first blessing of it relates to the heart, for God, when He begins with men, does not begin with the outward way, but with the inward spirit. He puts it, "I will give them one heart and one way"—the way is second—the heart comes first. Understand, then, that in all true godliness we must begin with heart-work. It is no use hoping to polish the outside until, by degrees, you enlighten the interior. No, but the light must first be placed within and then, as it shines through, spots on the exterior will be discovered and will all the more readily be cleansed away.
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְנָתַתִּ֨י | venatati | and I will give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לָהֶ֜ם | lahem | to <the> them | ||
| לֵ֤ב | lev | a heart | H3820 → | 595 times |
| אֶחָד֙ | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| וְדֶ֣רֶךְ | vederekh | and a way | H1870 → | 707 times |
| אֶחָ֔ד | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| לְיִרְאָ֥ה | leyirah | to fear | H3372 → | 315 times |
| אוֹתִ֖י | ʾoti | <obj.> me | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַיָּמִ֑ים | haiyamim | the days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| לְט֣וֹב | letov | for good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| לָהֶ֔ם | lahem | for them | ||
| וְלִבְנֵיהֶ֖ם | velivneihem | and for children their | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃ | ʾachareihem | after them | H310 → | 715 times |
וְנָתַתִּ֨יand I will give
venatatiH5414 →2011 times
לָהֶ֜םto <the> them
lahem
לֵ֤בa heart
levH3820 →595 times
אֶחָד֙one
ʾechadH259 →971 times
וְדֶ֣רֶךְand a way
vederekhH1870 →707 times
אֶחָ֔דone
ʾechadH259 →971 times
לְיִרְאָ֥הto fear
leyirahH3372 →315 times
אוֹתִ֖י<obj.> me
ʾotiH853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הַיָּמִ֑יםthe days
haiyamimH3117 →2304 times
לְט֣וֹבfor good
letovH2896 →538 times
לָהֶ֔םfor them
lahem
וְלִבְנֵיהֶ֖םand for children their
velivneihemH1121 →4930 times
אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃after them
ʾachareihemH310 →715 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
Acts 4:32The multitude of believers was one in heart and soul. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they owned.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 1:10
I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree together, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united…
- Ephesians 4:2–6
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
- 1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.
- John 17:21–23
that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
- 1 Corinthians 1:10
Through
John 17:21that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 12:12
The body is a unit, though it is composed of many parts. And although its parts are many, they all form one body. So it is with Christ.
- Colossians 3:11–14
Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.
- John 17:11
I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by Your name, the name You gave Me, so that…
- 1 Corinthians 12:25–27
so that there should be no division in the body, but that its members should have mutual concern for one another.
- 1 Corinthians 12:12
Where this verse is studied
About Jeremiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1623: “Wholehearted Religion” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Cassian, CONFERENCE 1:3.18; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.