Someone who yields to their wicked heart (Jer 17:9) will interpret this passage like this: The LORD "sovereignly" (this word is not found in The King James Bible) controlls the the thoughts and passions of man and causes him to turn in the direction He so desieres as He does the rivers of waters. You have to go to the meat shop to find that much baloney.

The LORD made the heart, so He knows how to steer a man in the right direction according to his heart motive. Now the Calvinist sees what he sees in this text because his heart wants to see that the LORD makes this man act against his free will. Man does have a free will by the way. That is in Scripture. Leviticus 22:18 Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt offering;Leviticus 1:3 If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.Ezra 7:13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. There are many more verses but three witnesses ( Deu 17:6, 2 Cor 13:1) should be good enough for now. The LORD in His foreknowledge knew that Pharaoh would not let the children of Israel go. Exodus 3:19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. So knowing this He used the events of the plagues to harden Pharaoh's heart. He knew what Pharaoh would do, so as Pharaoh hardened his heart, Exodus 8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said, The LORD heardened his heart too, Exodus 10:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him. Other verses showing Pharaoh heardened his own heart are (Ex 8:32, 9:34). This does not say that he did not have freewill but that he exercised his freewill against God and the LORD used his hard heart against him to accomplish what He need to accomplish. The LORD is able to turn you according to your motives ( Pr 16:2). He will also answer you according to your heart motives (Ez 14:1-9).

In Ezra 1:1-7 the LORD stirred up the kings heart. He didn't override his freewill but STIRRED him up. Even when the human motive is not right, the Lord is able to bring about their evil plans for good. Genesis 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. The Lord knows what is in the hearts of men (Isa 66:18) and is able to bring events into their lives to turn them in the direction of their heart motive. Jonah received a command from the LORD and exercised his freewill to flee from Him but the LORD brought about events in his life to persuade him in the direction HE wanted him to go. God knew Jonah would repent because He can see the future ( Isa 46:10). He worked out Jonah's evil for good and taught him a lesson that would be a type of the Lord Jesus Christ dying for us (Matt 12:40). The LORD knew by His foreknowledge what Jonah would do, so He outsmarted him and killed two birds with one stone. The LORD is able to know the direction the human heart wants to go and " He turneth it whithersoever he will," so he can use that heart to bring about His purposes without affecting that man's freewill. God will be able to say in the judgement to the man who goes to a place prepared not for him but for the devil (Matt 25:41), " I was not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, but that was the direction you wanted to go so I let you have your will not mine." Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

How is your heart motive today? If the Lord turns your heart in the direction it wants to go, would it go your own way ( Isa 53:6) or the way the Lord would have you go ( 2 Pt 3:9)?