Basic HTML Version
TO REPENT
(
, 5162), “to repent, comfort.”
:
apparently means “to repent”
about 40 times and “to comfort” about 65 times in the Old Testament. Scholars assert
several views in trying to ascertain the meaning of
by connecting the word to a
change of the heart or disposition, a change of mind, a change of purpose, or an emphasis
upon the change of one’s conduct.
Most uses of the term in the Old Testament are connected with God’s repentance: “…
It repented the Lord that he had made man …” (Gen. 6:6); “And the Lord repented
[
NASB
, “changed his mind”] of the evil which he thought to do unto his people” (Exod.
32:14,
KJV
). Sometimes the Lord “repented” of the discipline He had planned to carry out
concerning His people: “If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their
evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them” (Jer. 18:8); “If it do evil in
my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good …” (Jer. 18:10); “And
rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is
gracious and merciful, slow to anger … and repenteth him of evil” (Joel 2:13). In other
instances, the Lord changed His mind; obviously, He changed when man changed to
make the right choices, but He could not change His attitude toward evil when man
continued on the wrong course. As God changed His actions, He always remained
faithful to His own righteousness.
In some situations, God was weary of“repenting” (Jer. 15:6), suggesting that there
might be a point beyond which He had no choice but to implement His discipline. An
instance of this action was in Samuel’s word to Saul, that God took the kingdom from
Israel’s first king and intended to give it to another; Samuel declared, “And also the
Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent”
(
NASB
, “change His mind”; 1 Sam. 15:29).
God usually changed His mind and “repented” of His actions because of man’s
intercession and repentance of his evil deeds. Moses pleaded with God as the intercessor
for Israel: “Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people” (Exod.
32:12). The Lord did that when He “… repented [changed His mind] of the evil which he
thought to do unto his people” (Exod. 32:14). As God’s prophet preached to Nineveh,
“… God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the
evil, that he had said that he would do unto them …” (Jonah 3:10). In such instances, God
“repented,” or changed His mind, to bring about a change of plan. Again, however, God
remained faithful to His absolutes of righteousness in His relation to and with man.
Other passages refer to a change (or lack of it) in man’s attitude. When man did not
“repent” of his wickedness, he chose rebellion (Jer. 8:6). In the eschatological sense,
when Ephraim (as a representative of the northern branch of Israel) will “repent” (Jer.
31:19), God then will have mercy (Jer. 31:20).
Man also expressed repentance to other men. Benjamin suffered greatly from the
crime of immorality (Judg. 19-20): “And the children of Israel [eleven tribes] repented
them from Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this
day” (Judg. 21:6; cf. v. 15).
:
may also mean “to comfort.” The refugees in Babylon would be
“comforted” when survivors arrived from Jerusalem (Ezek. 14:23); the connection
between “comfort” and “repent” here resulted from the calamity God brought upon