Deuteronomy 5:29

Wycliffe Bible

Who schal yyue `that thei haue siche soule, that thei drede me, and kepe alle my comaundementis in al tyme, that it be wel to hem and to the sones `of hem, with outen ende?

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my mitzvot always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!

King James Version
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!

Lexham English Bible
If only they had such a mind'; that is, to fear me and to keep all my commandments at all times, so that it will go well for them and for their children forever.

English Standard Version
Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!

New Century Version
I wish their hearts would always respect me and that they would always obey my commands so that things would go well for them and their children forever!

New English Translation
If only it would really be their desire to fear me and obey all my commandments in the future, so that it may go well with them and their descendants forever.

Amplified Bible
'Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear [and worship Me with awe-filled reverence and profound respect] and keep all My commandments always, so that it may go well with them and with their children forever!

New American Standard Bible
'If only they had such a heart in them, to fear Me and keep all My commandments always, so that it would go well with them and with their sons forever!

Geneva Bible (1587)
Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare me, & to keepe all my commandements alway: that it might go well with them, and with their children for euer.

Legacy Standard Bible
Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments all the days, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!

Contemporary English Version
I wish they would always worship me with fear and trembling and be this willing to obey me! Then they and their children would always enjoy a successful life.

Complete Jewish Bible
"Therefore you are to be careful to do as Adonai your God has ordered you; you are not to deviate either to the right or the left.

Darby Translation
Oh 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!

Easy-to-Read Version
I only wanted to change their way of thinking—I wanted them to respect me and obey all my commands from the heart. Then everything would be fine with them and with their descendants forever.

George Lamsa Translation
O that there were such a heart in them, to worship, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them and with their children for ever!

Good News Translation
If only they would always feel this way! If only they would always honor me and obey all my commands, so that everything would go well with them and their descendants forever.

Christian Standard Bible®
If only they had such a heart to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that they and their children would prosper forever.

Literal Translation
Would that this heart of theirs would be like this always, to fear Me, and to keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them, and with their sons forever.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But who shal geue them soch an herte, yt they maye feare me, & kepe all my comaundementes as longe as they lyue, yt it maye go well with them, and with their childre for euer?

American Standard Version
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!

Bible in Basic English
If 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!

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Oh that there were such an heart in them that they woulde feare me, & kepe all my comaundementes alway, that it myght go well with them, and with their childen for euer?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Ye shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.

King James Version (1611)
O that there were such an heart in them, that they would feare me, and keepe my commandements alwayes, that it might bee well with them, and with their children for euer.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
O that there were such a heart in them, that they should fear me and keep my commands always, that it might be well with them and with their sons for ever.

English Revised Version
Oh 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!

Berean Standard Bible
If 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.

Young's Literal Translation
O 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!

Update Bible Version
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 sons forever!

Webster's Bible Translation
O 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!

World English Bible
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 forever!

New King James Version
Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!

New Living Translation
Oh, that they would always have hearts like this, that they might fear me and obey all my commands! If they did, they and their descendants would prosper forever.

New Life Bible
If only they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and live by all My Laws always! Then it would go well with them and with their children forever.

New Revised Standard
If only they had such a mind as this, to fear me and to keep all my commandments always, so that it might go well with them and with their children forever!

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Oh that this their heart might remain in them to revere me, and to keep all my commandments all the days, - that it might he well with them and with their sons unto times age-abiding.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Who shall give them to have such a mind, to fear me, and to keep all my commandments at all times, that it may be well with them and with their children for ever?

Revised Standard Version
Oh that they had such a mind as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their children for ever!

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!

Contextual Overview

²³ Forsothe after that ye herden the vois fro the myddis of the derknessis, and sien the hil brenne, alle ye princis of lynagis, and the grettere men in birthe, neiyiden to me, and seiden, Lo! ²⁴ oure Lord God schewide to vs his maieste and greetnesse; we herden his vois fro the myddis of fier, and we preueden to day that a man lyuede, `while God spak with man. <sup>25</sup> Whi therfor schulen we die, and schal this gretteste fier deuoure vs? For if we heren more the vois of oure Lord God, we schulen die. <sup>26</sup> What is ech man, that he here the vois of God lyuynge, that spekith fro the myddis of fier, as we herden, and that he may lyue? <sup>27</sup> Rathere neiye thou, and here thou alle thingis whiche oure Lord God schal seie to thee; and thou schalt speke to vs, and we schulen here, and schulen do tho wordis. <sup>28</sup> And whanne the Lord hadde herd this, he seide to me, Y herde the vois of the wordis of this puple, whiche thei spaken to thee; thei spaken wel alle thingis. <sup>29</sup> Who schal yyue `that thei haue siche soule, that thei drede me, and kepe alle my comaundementis in al tyme, that it be wel to hem and to the sones `of hem, with outen ende? <sup>30</sup> Go thou, and seye to hem, Turne ye ayen in to youre tentis. <sup>31</sup> Sotheli stonde thou here with me, and Y schal speke to thee alle comaundementis, and cerymonyes, and domes, whiche thou schalt teche hem, that thei do tho in the lond which Y schal yyue to hem in to possessioun. <sup>32</sup> Therfor kepe ye, and `do ye tho thingis, whiche the Lord God comaundide to you; ye schulen not bowe awey, nether to the riyt side nether to the left side,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure 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: Deuteronomy 32:29, Deuteronomy 32:30, Psalms 81:13-15, Isaiah 48:18, Jeremiah 44:4, Ezekiel 33:31, Ezekiel 33:32, Matthew 23:37, Luke 19:42, 2 Corinthians 5:20, 2 Corinthians 6:1, Hebrews 12:25

keep all: Deuteronomy 11:1, Psalms 106:3, Psalms 119:1-5, Luke 11:28, John 15:14, Revelation 22:14

that it might: Deuteronomy 5:16, Deuteronomy 4:40, Deuteronomy 6:3, Deuteronomy 6:18, Deuteronomy 12:25, Deuteronomy 12:28, Deuteronomy 19:13, Deuteronomy 22:7, Ruth 3:1, Psalms 19:11, Isaiah 3:10, Jeremiah 22:14, Jeremiah 22:15, Ephesians 6:3, James 1:25

Reciprocal: Genesis 6:6 - grieved Exodus 20:6 - showing Deuteronomy 4:10 - fear me Deuteronomy 5:33 - well Deuteronomy 6:13 - fear Joshua 1:8 - observe Joshua 24:24 - General 2 Kings 21:8 - only if they 2 Chronicles 12:14 - to seek Nehemiah 9:16 - hearkened Psalms 78:7 - keep Psalms 78:36 - Nevertheless Psalms 107:8 - Oh that men Psalms 119:4 - General Proverbs 17:16 - seeing Isaiah 58:2 - they seek Jeremiah 7:23 - Obey Jeremiah 11:7 - in the Jeremiah 32:39 - for the Jeremiah 36:3 - may be Jeremiah 42:3 - General Jeremiah 42:6 - that it Ezekiel 12:3 - it may Luke 13:34 - how Revelation 3:15 - I would

Cross-References

Genesis 5:8
And alle the daies of Seth weren maad nyne hundrid and twelue yeer, and he was deed.

Genesis 5:9
Forsothe Enos lyuede nynti yeer, and gendride Caynan;

Genesis 5:11
And alle the daies of Enos weren maad nyne hundrid and fyue yeer, and he was deed.

Genesis 5:12
Also Caynan lyuyde seuenti yeer, and gendride Malalehel.

Genesis 5:17
And alle the daies of Malalehel weren maad eiyte hundrid nynti and fyue yeer, and he was deed.

Genesis 5:19
And Jared lyuede aftir that he gendride Enoth eiyte hundrid yeer, and gendride sones and douytris.

Genesis 5:26
And Matusalem lyuede after that he gendride Lameth seuene hundrid and `fourscoor yeer and twei, and gendride sones and douytris.

Genesis 5:27
And alle the daies of Matusale weren maad nyn hundrid and nyn and sixti yeer, and he was deed.

Genesis 7:23
And God dide awei al substaunce that was on erthe, fro man til to beeste, as wel a crepynge beeste as the briddis of heuene; and tho weren doon awei fro erthe. Forsothe Noe dwellide aloone, and thei that weren with hym in the schip.

Genesis 9:24
And forsothe Noe wakide of the wyn, and whanne he hadde lerned what thingis his lesse sone hadde do to hym,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

O that there were such an heart in them,.... Not that there is properly speaking such volitions and wishes in God; but, as Aben Ezra observes, the Scripture speaks after the language of the children of men; and may be considered as upbraiding them with want of such an heart, and with weakness to do what they had promised; and, at most, as approving of those things they spoke of as grateful to him, and profitable to them: the words may be rendered, "who will give l that they had such an heart"; not to me, but to them, as Aben Ezra notes; they cannot give it to themselves, nor can any creature give it to them; none but God can, and therefore they ought to have prayed to him to give them an heart to hearken and do; agreeably to which is the Arabic version,

"it is to be wished by them, that such an heart would continue with them;''

which they by their language signified was in them: that they would fear me; which is not naturally in the heart of man, is a gift of God, a part of the covenant of grace, is implanted in regeneration, and is no inconsiderable branch of it; it is opposed to pride, and is consistent with faith and joy, and is increased by views of the grace and goodness of God, and is a distinguishing character of a good man:

and keep all my commandments always; not only one, but all, and not only at some certain times, but continually; and which are to be kept in faith from a principle of love, with a view to the glory of God, and in the strength of Christ; and to this the fear of God is necessary, for where there is no fear of God, there is no regard to his commandments; but where there is a reverential fear of God, there are faith, hope, love, and every other grace; yea, the Spirit, the author of all, who is in the saints, to enable them to walk in the statutes of the Lord, and to keep his judgments and do them; and such keep the commandments of God, not from a slavish fear, but from a sense of divine goodness:

that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever; for the fear of God, and the keeping of his commandments, issue in the good of men, in their own good, their inward peace, and spiritual welfare; in the good of others, their neighbours, servants, and children, by way of example and instruction; and even in the public peace and prosperity of a nation in which they dwell: not that these things are meritorious of eternal life, but are what are approved of by the Lord, and are grateful to him; which is the chief view in the expression of the text.

l מי יתן "quis det", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius; "quis dabit", Piscator.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

These verses contain a much fuller narrative of the events briefly described in Exodus 20:18-21. Here it is important to call attention to the fact that it was on the entreaties of the people that Moses had taken on him to be the channel of communication between God and them. God approved Deuteronomy 5:28 the request of the people, because it showed a feeling of their own unworthiness to enter into direct communion with God. The terrors of Sinai had done their work; they had awakened the consciousness of sin.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Deuteronomy 5:29. 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, c. 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. Deuteronomy 29:4.