Deuteronomy 5 · Verse 29

Deuteronomy 5:29

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!
Deuteronomy 5:29, King James Version

Deuteronomy 5:29 in other translations

BSBIf 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.
WEBOh 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 forever!
ASVOh 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!
YLTO that their heart had been thus to them, to fear Me, and to keep My commands all the days, that it may be well with them, and with their sons--to the age!
DARBYOh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments continually, that it might be well with them and with their sons for ever!
BBEIf only they had such a heart in them at all times, so that they might go in fear of me and keep my orders and that it might be well for them and for their children for ever!
WebsterO 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!

What does Deuteronomy 5:29 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
29. 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 (Jr 32:40). But the wish which is here expressed on the part of God for the piety and steadfast obedience of the Israelites did not relate to them as individuals, so much as a nation, whose religious character and progress would have a mighty influence on the world at large.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 29 O 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? He made the human will free; and in spite of all the influence of sin and Satan, he preserves its liberty. Had man no free will, he could neither be punished nor rewarded, because a mere machine, and consequently no more accountable for his actions than the fire for its consuming quality, or the stone for its gravity; the one having burned the house of the righteous, the other having crushed the innocent to death. See the note on Deu 29:4.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 5:23-33

Moses refers to the consternation caused by the terror with which the law was given. God's appearances have always been terrible to man, ever since the fall; but Christ, having taken away sin, invites us to come boldly to the throne of grace. They were in a good mind, under the strong convictions of the word they heard. Many have their consciences startled by the law who have them not purified; fair promises are…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 5:23-33 →

Deuteronomy 5:29 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

מִֽי\־mi-who?H4310
יִתֵּ֡ןyi.Tenwill he giveH5414
וְהָיָה֩ve.ha.Yahand it will belongH1961
לְבָבָ֨םle.va.Vamheart theirH3824
זֶ֜הzehthisH2088
לָהֶ֗םla.Hemto them
לְיִרְאָ֥הle.yir.'Ahto fearH3372
אֹתִ֛י'o.Ti<obj.> meH853
וְלִשְׁמֹ֥רve.lish.Morand to keepH8104
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
מִצְוֹתַ֖יmitz.vo.Taicommandments myH4687
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
הַיָּמִ֑יםhai.ya.Mimthe daysH3117
לְמַ֨עַןle.Ma.'anso thatH4616
יִיטַ֥בyi.Tavit may go wellH3190
לָהֶ֛םla.Hemfor them
וְלִבְנֵיהֶ֖םve.liv.nei.Hemand for children theirH1121
לְעֹלָֽם\׃le.'o.Lamfor everH5769

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Deuteronomy 5:29

  • Isaiah 48:18

    O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:

  • Ezekiel 33:31-32

    And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.

  • Deuteronomy 11:1

    Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.

  • Matthew 23:37

    O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

  • Luke 19:42

    Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

  • Deuteronomy 4:40

    Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for ever.

  • Deuteronomy 32:29-30

    O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up?

  • Deuteronomy 5:16

    Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

  • Psalms 81:13-15

    Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries. The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.

  • Psalms 119:1-5

    א ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. …

  • 2 Corinthians 5:20

    Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

  • Ephesians 6:3

    That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
The language of the original is emphatic: {Mee yittain wehayah levavom zeh lahem,} literally, "Who will give that there may be such a heart in them?" They refuse to receive such a heart from me, who then can supply it?
O that there.
32:29,30; Ps 81:13-15; Isa 48:18; Jer 44:4; Eze 33:31,32; Mt 23:37
Lu 19:42; 2Co 5:20; 6:1; Heb 12:25
keep all:
11:1; Ps 106:3; 119:1-5; Lu 11:28; Joh 15:14; Re 22:14
that it might:
16; 4:40; 6:3,18; 12:25,28; 19:13; 22:7; Ru 3:1; Ps 19:11; Isa 3:10
Jer 22:14,15; Eph 6:3; Jas 1:25

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Deuteronomy 5:28

    And the Lord heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the Lord said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.

  • Deuteronomy 5:29

    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!

  • Deuteronomy 5:30

    Go say to them, Get you into your tents again.

Read all of Deuteronomy 5

Deuteronomy 5:29 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
¡Quién diera que tuviesen tal corazón, que me temiesen, y guardasen todos los días todos mis mandamientos, para que á ellos y á sus hijos les fuese bien para siempre!
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Oh! s’ils avaient toujours ce cœur-là pour me craindre et pour garder tous mes commandements, afin de prospérer, eux et leurs fils, à toujours!
German
Elberfelder 1871
Möchte doch dieses ihr Herz ihnen bleiben, mich allezeit zu fürchten und alle meine Gebote zu beobachten, auf daß es ihnen und ihren Kindern wohlgehe ewiglich!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Quis det talem eos habere mentem, ut timeant me, et custodiant universa mandata mea in omni tempore, ut bene sit eis et filiis eorum in sempiternum?