II Kings 10:15 Jewish Thought: Guide for the Perplexed

וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ מִשָּׁ֡ם וַיִּמְצָ֣א אֶת־יְהוֹנָדָב֩ בֶּן־רֵכָ֨ב לִקְרָאת֜וֹ וַֽיְבָרְכֵ֗הוּ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו הֲיֵ֧שׁ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֣ יָשָׁ֗ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר לְבָבִי֙ עִם־לְבָבֶ֔ךָ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוֹנָדָ֥ב יֵ֛שׁ וָיֵ֖שׁ תְּנָ֣ה אֶת־יָדֶ֑ךָ וַיִּתֵּ֣ן יָד֔וֹ וַיַּעֲלֵ֥הוּ אֵלָ֖יו אֶל־הַמֶּרְכָּבָֽה׃

And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he saluted him, and said to him: ‘Is thy heart right, as my heart is with thy heart?’ And Jehonadab answered: ‘It is.’ 'If it be,' [said Jehu,] 'give me thy hand.’ And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.

Guide for the Perplexed

Leb (heart) denotes also “will”; comp. “And I shall give you pastors according to my will (libbi)” (Jer. 3:15), “Is thine heart right as my heart is?” (2 Kings 10:15), i.e., is thy will right as my will is? In this sense the word has been figuratively applied to God. Comp. “That shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my soul” (1 Sam. 2:35), i.e., according to My will; “And mine eyes and mine heart (i.e., My providence and My will) shall be there perpetually” (1 Kings 9:3).
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