The Meaning of Deuteronomy 5:29 Explained

Deuteronomy 5:29

KJV: 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!

YLT: 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!

Darby: 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!

ASV: 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!

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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! 

What does Deuteronomy 5:29 Mean?

Study Notes

fear
.
fear of the Lord
The "fear of the Lord," a phrase of the O.T. piety, meaning reverential trust, with hatred of evil.

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 5:22-33 - Moses Between God And The People
"He added no more"-i.e., the Law is perfect. It is written in stone, and therefore is permanent. When the conscience has not learned the efficacy of the blood of Jesus it shrinks from contact with God's holiness, Deuteronomy 5:24-26. But such fear does not save us from going back to our calf-making and license.
Turn from Moses to our blessed Lord, who went into the middle of the thunder and lightning which our sin had incurred. On Him the full force of the storm broke, and we were delivered. Adolphe Monod said: "I have a firm and peaceful confidence in the redemption of Jesus Christ, in His blood and sacrifice, accepted before God, taking the place of the good which I have not done and repairing the evil that I have done."
Note the yearning of Deuteronomy 5:29. It repeats itself elsewhere, Isaiah 48:18; Matthew 23:37. See also Ezekiel 36:26. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 5

1  The covenant in Horeb
6  The ten commandments
23  At the people's request Moses receives the law from God

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 5:29 mean?

Oh that they had and heart this in them that they would fear Me and keep and - all My commandments the time that it might be well with them and with their children forever
מִֽי־ יִתֵּ֡ן וְהָיָה֩ לְבָבָ֨ם זֶ֜ה לָהֶ֗ם לְיִרְאָ֥ה אֹתִ֛י וְלִשְׁמֹ֥ר אֶת־ כָּל־ מִצְוֺתַ֖י הַיָּמִ֑ים לְמַ֨עַן יִיטַ֥ב לָהֶ֛ם וְלִבְנֵיהֶ֖ם ! לְעֹלָֽם

מִֽי־  Oh  that 
Parse: Interjection
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
יִתֵּ֡ן  they  had 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
וְהָיָה֩  and  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְבָבָ֨ם  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: לֵבָב  
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
זֶ֜ה  in  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
לָהֶ֗ם  that  they  would  fear 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person feminine singular
לְיִרְאָ֥ה  Me 
Parse: Direct object marker, first person common singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
אֹתִ֛י  and  keep 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מִצְוֺתַ֖י  My  commandments 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
הַיָּמִ֑ים  the  time 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
לְמַ֨עַן  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
יִיטַ֥ב  it  might  be  well 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָטַב  
Sense: to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad.
לָהֶ֛ם  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
וְלִבְנֵיהֶ֖ם  and  with  their  children 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
! לְעֹלָֽם  forever 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.