Expert: Clifford H. Readout, Jr. - 6/14/2007

Question
Hi again

I hope you dont mind me asking you another question, but i found your advice so helpful before that i have come back to you.

I know God knows your heart ( and this is very important to me,it has seen me through some dark, dark times ) jer 17:10 and Luke 16:14 show this - what i dont understand is why sometimes heart or mind is replaced by "reins" in some versions,

King James

10I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

youngs literal

10I Jehovah do search the heart, try the reins, Even to give to each according to his way, According to the fruit of his doings

and I have seen some versions that use reins/kidneys instead of heart and some use it instead of thought. why is it interchanagble - and should i worry that God cannot see my heart? I belive he can. are there any other verses that show me god knows my heart? I think there is one about sparrows - showing God knows everything, which would be reassuring

Thanks for any help

David

Answer
Dear David,

I will have to send this to you through AllExperts.com, too, since my commitment to them is that I send an answer within three days. If I don’t, they will send me reminders every few days! The attachment will  not be included in the AllExperts version.

It is gratifying to know my answers have been helpful to you.  Let me know if you want the study on Repentance, and that you agree to honor my copyright if I send you a copy of it.

There are a couple of facts you will need to keep in mind when you encounter this sort of thing.
First, different translations have different factors involved. They often translate from a different manuscript; they always have different people doing the translation work; and different translators have different mindsets which give them a bias in favor of certain lexical meanings for each word. All these things affect the translation.  So, different translations often use different English words to translate the same Hebrew or English word.

This is why I seldom exclusively rely on lexicons to get my understanding of the meaning of a word.  I almost always include a close examination of the way a word is used in the text of Scripture itself.  Because I believe that the original manuscripts were divinely inspired, right down to the choice of words, I must also believe that the manuscript used in a translation must be the one that represents the majority of manuscripts. I must also look for a translation that follows the rules of translating, and tries to bring into my language every word form the original, as much as is possible.

Second, there are different forms of writing in almost every written language.  You recognize the difference between poetry and normal prose.  This is one kind of difference in form.  There are several literary forms used in the Hebrew of the Old Testament.  Sometimes it is not possible to translate such things so people can know what was intended.  For example, a Hebrew reader would recognize that Isaiah contains some of the most magnificent poetry ever written, but it just doesn’t come through in English as poetry. One of these literary forms is called “parallelism.”

Hebrew Scripture often uses parallelism, repeating an idea using similar words, to give emphasis and importance to the idea. Yet Hebrew and Greek are very narrow languages and each synonym has a slightly different but related meaning, so even the parallel statement adds meaning to the whole. Jeremiah 17:10 contains a parallelism.  I will include the relevant lexical details below.

The Hebrew words used are related, but “bachan, heart” is broader in its meaning than “kilyah, reins.” “Reins” is symbolic of the physical reality, while “heart” encompasses the spiritual nature as well.
The same distinction exists in the Greek words. “Reins” focuses more on the physical reality and “heart” also includes the intangibles of thought and emotion.

This distinction also is shown in the other half of the parallelisms.  “Ways” relates more to the motivations and habits, while “doings” has the narrower focus on the actual deeds done.

Here are some brief lexical details:

Jeremiah 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

“search the heart”        “according to his ways”
Search, Hebrew: bachan, baw-khan´; a primitive root; to test (especially metals); generally and figuratively, to investigate.
Heart, Hebrew: leb, labe; the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything.
by extension: the inner person, self, the seat of thought and emotion: conscience, courage, mind, understanding
Ways, Hebrew: derek, deh´-rek; from 1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb

“try the reins”        “according to the fruit of his doings”
Try, Hebrew: chaqar, khaw-kar´; a primitive root; properly, to penetrate; hence, to examine intimately.
Reins, Hebrew: kilyah, kil-yaw´; (only in the plural); [f] a kidney (as an essential organ); figuratively, the mind (as the interior self).
Fruit, Hebrew: priy, per-ee´; fruit (literally or figuratively)
Doings, Hebrew: ma{alal, mah-al-awl´; actions.

Revelation 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
“searcheth the reins and hearts”        “according to your works”
Searcheth, Greek: ereunao, er-yoo-nah´-o; apparently from 2046 (through the idea of inquiry); to seek, i.e. (figuratively) to investigate:—search.
Heart, Greek: kardia, kar-dee´-ah; prolonged from a primary kar (Latin cor, “heart”); the heart, i.e. (figuratively) the thoughts or feelings (mind); also (by analogy) the middle.
Reins, Greek: nephros, nef-ros´; of uncertain affinity; a kidney (plural), i.e. (figuratively) the inmost mind.
Works, Greek: ergon, er´-gon; from a primary (but obsolete) ergo (to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication, an act

You needn’t worry that God doesn’t know your heart. He is indeed omniscient and knows your heart better than you ever can.  I am attaching one of my copyrighted lessons that focuses on God’s omniscience.  Let me know what you get out of it.

I hope this helps you.

Yours for Truth,

CR