Jeremiah 17:9-10
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The verse highlights that the "heart," our inner core, isn't just prone to wickedness, but is fundamentally deceptive and sick to the point of being incurable. This isn't about occasional bad choices, but a deep-seated, insidious condition that even hides its true nature from ourselves.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah has just described the incredible blessings awaiting those who trust in the Lord, contrasting them with the ruin of those who turn away. Now, he turns inward to explain why people so often choose ruin: their own hearts are fundamentally deceptive and incurably sick, making it impossible for them to truly discern good from evil or even to understand themselves. This profound diagnosis of the human condition sets the stage for Jeremiah's prayer in the following verse, asking God to heal this very sickness.
Ever feel like you know yourself, only to be surprised by your own actions or desires? Jeremiah uses a powerful word to describe this inner trickery.
Jeremiah highlights the heart's profound tendency to 'supplant' or 'deceive.' This isn't just simple lying; it's a deep-seated inclination to twist reality, to trick ourselves and others. Think of it like Jacob, whose name itself signifies this 'supplanting' – always looking for an angle, a way to get ahead, often by undermining truth or others.
This deceit manifests in how we view sin. Our hearts can make sin look appealing (like pleasure or profit), promise lasting satisfaction (when it's fleeting), or even redefine vices as virtues. It can lead us to compare ourselves to others, feeling righteous because we're 'better than' them, rather than measuring up to God's perfect standard.
Jeremiah calls the heart 'desperately wicked.' But what if the original meaning points to something even more tragic?
While 'desperately wicked' captures a core truth, the original language here leans more towards 'desperately sick' or 'incurable.' This isn't just about bad actions; it points to a profound, internal malady affecting our very core.
This 'sickness' means our hearts are not merely prone to occasional bad behavior but are fundamentally ailing. It blinds us to good and evil, making us unable to perceive truth clearly. It’s a condition that, left untreated, leads to spiritual death and separation from God. This highlights our desperate need for divine intervention – a healing that we cannot achieve on our own.
Ask a follow-up
Jeremiah asks, 'Who can understand it?' This isn't a rhetorical question; it's a confession of our limited capacity to truly know ourselves.
The final question, 'Who can understand it?' points to the profound mystery and complexity of the human heart. It suggests that the heart is not easily plumbed, even by the person experiencing it. We may think we know our motives, our deepest desires, but the reality is far more intricate and often hidden from our own consciousness.
This lack of self-understanding means we can easily be surprised by our own failures and misjudgments. It underscores why trusting solely in our own counsel or feelings is so dangerous. Only God, who sees the full depth of our hearts – the 'deep' and 'unsearchable' caverns of our being – truly understands us. This should drive us to humility and a constant reliance on His wisdom.
Understand the original words
leb · Hebrew Noun
The inner person, including the intellect, will, emotions, and moral compass. In Scripture, it is considered the command center of human life and the seat of moral character.
aqob · Hebrew Adjective
Characterized by guile, treachery, or craftiness; incapable of being fully trusted due to the influence of sin. It describes the fallen nature that hides true motives from oneself and others.
anash · Hebrew Adjective
Incurable, mortally wounded, or beyond human repair. It refers to a spiritual condition that cannot be fixed by human effort, requiring divine intervention.
chaqar · Hebrew Verb
To examine, explore, or investigate thoroughly. When applied to God, it signifies His perfect, exhaustive knowledge of human interiority.
kilyah · Hebrew Noun
The inner faculty of thought, intent, and conscience. It is often paired with the heart to indicate the entirety of human internal life, which is open to divine scrutiny.
p'riy · Hebrew Noun
The outward manifestation of one's inner character and life choices. God judges these actions because they reveal the true posture of the soul before Him.
This verse echoes Jeremiah's stark assessment of the human heart by stating that 'every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually,' highlighting a deep-seated corruption that predates even the flood.
Proverbs 28:26This proverb directly warns against trusting one's own heart, aligning perfectly with Jeremiah's declaration that it is deceitful and beyond full understanding, reinforcing the danger of relying on such a flawed source.
Matthew 15:19Jesus Himself uses a similar concept when He lists evils that come 'from within, out of the heart,' confirming that the heart is indeed the source of wicked thoughts, deceit, and destructive desires.
Romans 7:14-24Paul's passionate cry about being 'sold under sin' and struggling with his own actions reveals a similar internal conflict and a deep awareness of his heart's inability to consistently do good, even when he desires to.
1 Corinthians 3:18-19This passage contrasts the wisdom of the world, which leads to deception, with God's wisdom, showing how the human heart, when left to its own devices, is easily fooled into thinking itself wise when it is actually foolish and prone to error.
barnesJeremiah 17:9: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"
The train of thought is apparently this: If the man is so blessed Jeremiah 17:7-8 who trusts in Yahweh, what is the reason why men so generally "make flesh their arm"? And the answer is: Because man's heart is incapable of seeing things in a straightforward manner, but is full of shrewd guile, and ever seeking to overreach others. Desperately wicked - Rather, mortally sick.
clarkeJeremiah 17:9: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"
The heart is deceitful - עקב הלב akob halleb, "the heart is supplanting - tortuous - full of windings - insidious;" lying ever at the catch; striving to avail itself of every favorable circumstance to gratify its propensities to pride, ambition, evil desire, and corruption of all kinds. And desperately wicked - ואנש הוא veanush hu, and is wretched, or feeble; distressed beyond all things, in con…
The verse highlights that the "heart," our inner core, isn't just prone to wickedness, but is fundamentally deceptive and sick to the point of being incurable. This isn't about occasional bad choices, but a deep-seated, insidious condition that even hides its true nature from ourselves.
Jeremiah has just described the incredible blessings awaiting those who trust in the Lord, contrasting them with the ruin of those who turn away. Now, he turns inward to explain why people so often choose ruin: their own hearts are fundamentally deceptive and incurably sick, making it impossible for them to truly discern good from evil or even to understand themselves. This profound diagnosis of the human condition sets the stage for Jeremiah's prayer in the following verse, asking God to heal this very sickness.
Jeremiah has just described the incredible blessings awaiting those who trust in the Lord, contrasting them with the ruin of those who turn away. Now, he turns inward to explain why people so often choose ruin: their own hearts are fundamentally deceptive and incurably sick, making it impossible for them to truly discern good from evil or even to understand themselves. This profound diagnosis of the human condition sets the stage for Jeremiah's prayer in the following verse, asking God to heal this very sickness.
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of hi…" — The verse highlights that the "heart," our inner core, isn't just prone to wickedness, but is fundamentally deceptive and sick to the point of being incurable. This isn't about occasional bad cho…
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Last reviewed October 2026
