Did God repent of doing evil?

Question

Exodus 32:14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

Seems he did indeed repent of an evil he was thinking about doing to his people.

Lola - actually, this is more of an ongoing thing from previous questions to which I have been told several times that God doesn't repent because he's perfect. Now, as Emporer Insania points out, repent means to change your mind about something. So you don't actually have to DO something bad in order to change your mind about doing it.

See my earlier questions. You'll understand then what this is getting at.

A True Christian - I have read it, IN context. God thought to do something which is considered "evil" according to the Bible... then he changed his mind about doing it.

Answer 1

Yep, looks like it. The NASB says changed his mind but it means that he regretted his decision as to what he was going to do to Israel. It is funny that God of all people had to be reminded of his promise.

Yahweh of the old testament seemed rather, human in regards to his emotions.

People have this view of God that is one way but yet the bible presents a view of God that is really different.

Repent = Nacham

to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted
(Niphal)
to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion
to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent
to comfort oneself, be comforted
to comfort oneself, ease oneself
(Piel) to comfort, console
(Pual) to be comforted, be consoled
(Hithpael)
to be sorry, have compassion
to rue, repent of
to comfort oneself, be comforted
to ease oneself

Moses caused Yahweh to change his mind too:

Exodus 32:11-14

11 Then Moses entreated the LORD his God, and said, "O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 "Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, `With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people. 13 "Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You swore by Yourself, and said to them, `I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.' " 14 So the LORD changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.

Answer 2

It must be emphatically maintained that God does not change ( Mal 3:6, James 1:17 ). He neither changes His mind, His will, nor His nature.

If anyone were to change His mind, it must be because new information has come to light that was not previously known, or the circumstances have changed that require a different kind of attitude or action. Now, if God changed His mind, it cannot be because He has learned some bit of the information that He did not previously know, for God is omniscient - He knows all ( Ps 147:5 . Therefore, it must be because the circumstances have changed, God's relationship to the new circumstances are different because they have changed, not God.

This is a language from human perspective. When Moses said that God relented, it was a figurative way of describing that Moses' intercession successfully changed the relationship of the people to God. He brought the nation under the mercy of God's grace, and out from under the judgment of God. God does not change, neither His mind, His will, nor His nature.

Answer 3

Exodus 32:14 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society


14 Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened

Answer 4

God was going to send calamity against Israel for all the wickedness they were doing, and even though He had the full right and authority to do so as the Judge of all flesh, yet because Moses prayed, God changed his mind about judging Israel.

You're skewed definitions and perspective is based on your own sin-filled heart and you can't see anything from the perspective of a holy God who is righteous and just, and yet loves us.

Try to see things God's way, and maybe you'll get a small glimmer of God's goodness and mercies. After all, If God were to judge you for what you deserve, you wouldn't be alive today, except for Jesus.

Answer 5

That isn't quite the same as when we repent of doing evil. It's more like, God thought about really severely punishing His people and then He changed His mind. If I were you I would read the context and see if that helps you understand.

Answer 6

Gen 6:6 the Hebrew word translated “felt regrets” pertains to a change of attitude or intention. Jehovah is perfect and therefore did not make a mistake in creating man. However, he did have a change of mental attitude as regards the wicked pre-Flood generation. God turned from the attitude of the Creator of humans to that of a destroyer of them because of his displeasure with their wickedness. The fact that he preserved some humans shows that his regrets were confined to those who had become wicked.—2 Peter 2:5, 9. NUFF SAID.

Answer 7

This translation is wrong.
For God is not a human being to repent.
He is perfect for eternity.
His perfection has not beginning, nor end.
He is the same today, yesterday, and tomorrow.
God never sin, like human beings, to need repentance.
Only sinners like human beings need repentance.

Answer 8

God repented that He ever made man.

Answer 9

that is what the text says, and it is god's word, so it must be truth...

but doesn't it also say "god is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent" --- numbers 23:19

fun is

Answer 10

I think the real question is: who did god repent to, and did they forgive him? My guess is one of the older gods, like Neb-er-tcher, Ra, etc.