In Hebrew thinking the heart was looked upon as the seat of the intellect, as its connection with the verb to know indicates (see 3.17). Traduction œcuménique de la Bible renders the first part of the verse “I will give them an understanding which will allow them to know me”; Revised English Bible has “I shall give them the wit to know me.” This could also be expressed “I will give them the intelligence to know me.” However, what is involved here is not so much intelligence as making a decision to serve the LORD; “I will give them the will to know me” is possibly the best translation. Good News Translation is similar to this: “I will give them the desire to know that I am the LORD.”

They shall be my people and I will be their God: See 7.23. Note the similarity between this and the promises of 31.33; 32.38. In Hebrew the pronoun I is emphatic.

They shall return to me with their whole heart appeared in 3.10. See there. Translators can say here “They will come back to me in complete sincerity.”

Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch renders the whole verse as follows:

• I will give them a heart and understanding to know me and to comprehend that I am the Lord! With all their hearts they will return to me. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

In order to avoid the “sentimental connotations,” which “heart” does not have in Hebrew, Bright renders it this way:

• I will give them a will to know me, that I am Yahweh. They shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall turn to me with all their energies.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .