The Creator repents or not?

[Leonardo Von]

At first, the Holy Scripture says:

 

• "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" (Num 23:19)

 

Nevertheless, the Holy Scripture also says:

• "And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." (Gen 6:6).
• "Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting." (Jer 15:6).
• "And 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; and he did it not." (Jon 3:10).
• "If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them." (Jer 18:10).

 

How to sort out this quandary?

Edited June 28, 2021 by Leonardo Von

[David1701]

1 hour ago, Leonardo Von said:

At first, the Holy Scripture says:

 

• "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" (Num 23:19)

 

Nevertheless, the Holy Scripture also says:

• "And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." (Gen 6:6).
• "Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting." (Jer 15:6).
• "And 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; and he did it not." (Jon 3:10).
• "If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them." (Jer 18:10).

 

How to sort out this quandary?

Jer. 15:6 (VW) You have forsaken Me, says Jehovah; you have gone backward; therefore I will stretch out My hand against you, and destroy you; I am weary with sorrow.

From Gill's commentary on this verse:

"not that the Lord ever changes his mind, or the counsel of his will; in this sense he is without repentance; but the conduct of his providence, and the dispensations of it; not executing the threatenings denounced, but sparing them a little longer, showing mercy, and exercising patience and longsuffering; but now he was as one weary and tired out, and was determined to bear no longer with them, but stir up all his wrath against them, and destroy them.­"

The answer for the other verses is much the same.

Edit: I originally used a poor translation here, so I've substituted a better one.

 

Edited June 28, 2021 by David1701

[BK1110]

I'd recommend the ESV to anyone. Much more clear to modern speakers in many ways. Also a study bible can help. Try Blue Letter Bible, which is online and free https://www.blueletterbible.org/

[Leonardo Von]

11 minutes ago, BK1110 said:

I'd recommend the ESV to anyone. Much more clear to modern speakers in many ways. Also a study bible can help. Try Blue Letter Bible, which is online and free https://www.blueletterbible.org/

I, in particular, like very much of the software "E-Sword". It has many versions of the Holy Scripture, beyond comments, dictionaries, etc.

[Raven]

A father knows more than his children and speaks to them according to how much they can understand...never fully grasping the truth of the matter.

God is Truth, and we are far from being true. How then are we to understand the Truth? By repenting our ignorance (becoming humble) so we can keep an open heart and mind to the truth.

"If you don't do what I tell you, you will suffer the negative consequences; and you will blame me. You will see me as one who punishes. I repent that I knew you would suffer the consequences and still blame me. But how else are you going to learn!?"

[Riverwalker]

21 hours ago, Leonardo Von said:

At first, the Holy Scripture says:

 

• "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" (Num 23:19)

 

Nevertheless, the Holy Scripture also says:

• "And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." (Gen 6:6).
• "Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting." (Jer 15:6).
• "And 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; and he did it not." (Jon 3:10).
• "If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them." (Jer 18:10).

 

How to sort out this quandary?

Repent means to Turn away from...not to be sorry, so it does not apply to Noah

In many prophecies God said He would do this terrible thing because of their evil....but when the people heard they stopped, (Like the people of Ninevah In Jonah) and God turned away his wrath.

Your tanslation seems a bit off and this could be causing a problem

 

[David1701]

15 hours ago, BK1110 said:

I'd recommend the ESV to anyone. Much more clear to modern speakers in many ways. Also a study bible can help. Try Blue Letter Bible, which is online and free https://www.blueletterbible.org/

Up-to-date English is certainly easier to understand; but, the ESV (along with many other modern translations, but not all) has serious issues with the underlying Greek text, in the NT.

[David1701]

15 hours ago, Leonardo Von said:

I, in particular, like very much of the software "E-Sword". It has many versions of the Holy Scripture, beyond comments, dictionaries, etc.

"theWord" is another very good one.

[Alive]

I consult most every translation regularly when I am looking at something in particular, as I have most every one in my Accordance Software along with the original texts in Greek and Hebrew where I can compare.

The most significant issue I have is where some translations substitute hell for Sheol in the OT.

This happens 19 times in the KJV--for instance.

None of them are perfect, but more than adequate for the Lord's purpose.

I like the Mounce NT tagged. He is a very good Greek Scholar---IMO.

[David1701]

11 minutes ago, Alive said:

I consult most every translation regularly when I am looking at something in particular, as I have most every one in my Accordance Software along with the original texts in Greek and Hebrew where I can compare.

The most significant issue I have is where some translations substitute hell for Sheol in the OT.

This happens 19 times in the KJV--for instance.

None of them are perfect, but more than adequate for the Lord's purpose.

I like the Mounce NT tagged. He is a very good Greek Scholar---IMO.

Hell is a translation (one of several) for "Sheol", not a substitution, since "Sheol" is a Hebrew word, not an English one.  Sheol is a transliteration, not a translation.

In the NT, no translation based upon the minority Greek text is trustworthy, even if the translation of the underlying Greek is accurate.  Most of them make Jesus out to be a sinner and a liar, as well as omitting, weakening or altering a large number of important verses and casting doubt on couple of whole passages (e.g. Mark 16:9-20).