Does God repent

Answer 1

No God does not repent.Repentence requires sin. Since God does not sin, there is no need for repentance.

Another Answer:

Yes, God can and has repented many times over different issues.

The definition of repentance means to feel sorrow ,regret, or contrition.

God repents

Genesis 6:6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

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

Deuteronomy 32:36 For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants.

1 Samuel 15:11 It repenteth me [God] that I have set up Saul to be king.

1 Samuel 15:35 The Lord repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

2 Samuel 24:16 The Lord repented of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, it is enough: stay now thine hand.

1 Chronicles 21:15 The Lord beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand.

Isaiah 38:1-5 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah ... said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. ... Thus saith the LORD ... I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.

Jeremiah 15:6 I [God] am weary of repenting.

Jeremaih 18:8 I [God] will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

Jeremaih 26:3 That I [God]may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them.

Jeremiah 26:13 The Lord will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.

Jeremiah 26:19 The Lord repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them.

Jeremaih 42:10 For I [God] repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.

Amos 7:3, 6 The Lord repented for this.

Jonah 3:10 God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them.

Another Answer:

Define: 'Repent'

Both of the above sections are technically correct, though both make different assumptions about the word "repent."

"Repent" simply means to change one's mind or to change one's course of action. In the verses cited above, God chooses to change His course of action. In this case the word "repent" doesn't imply any sin.

The more common usage of the word "repent" in Christian circles refers to repentence of sin, which is dealt with in the first section.

God does not repent

Numbers 3:19 God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of a man that he should repent.

1 Samuel 15:29 The Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.

Ezekiel 24:14 I the LORD have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent.

Answer 2

His threat to wipe out the Israelites (Exodus 32:9-14).

God himself does not repent. God himself is omniscient and omnipotent and therefore has no need of repentance in the form in which most humans translate the word.

The term Repented is the Hebrew verb Nacham. It has a number of meanings, including "to be sorry," "console oneself," "repent," "regret," and "be comforted." The actual meaning is determined from the context, for example, the King James version translates Genesis 6:6 as "And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart." The New American Standard translates the verse as "The Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and he was grieved in his heart."

The King James English translation uses archaic English that didn't have the same meaning 400 years ago as it does now. So, the archaic translations indicating that God "repented" really indicated that God was sorry or "changed His mind." Since God never sins, He has no need of repentance. Some skeptics have pointed out that an omniscient God should never change His mind, since He always should know what was going to happen. In reality, God never changes His mind, but warns rebellious people to give them the opportunity to change their minds before He judges them

Answer 3

"Repentance" is merely a "changing of one's mind" or attitude about something. Generally, in The Bible, repentance is geared toward repenting of "sinning" [which is breaking God's Law; the Ten Commandments - I John 3:4].

With man, then, repentance is a matter of "changing one's mind" about "sin"

But, in the passage in the book of Jonah where God repents... it was a matter of His "changing His mind" regarding the punishment He had in store for the people of Nineveh because THEY REPENTED OF THEIR SINS:

"...let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way [repent of sinning; breaking God's Commandments], and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from His fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way [repented]; and God repented['...changed His mind...' - Literal Bible {LIT}] of the evil, that He had said that He would do unto them; and He did it not." (Jonah 3:8-10 KJV)

The "repentance" of God in this passage is: "nacham" (naw-kham'): "...to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself): KJV-- comfort (self), ease (one's self), repent(-er, -ing, self)." (Strong's Definitions)

"...Who knows, He may turn. And may change His mind [nacham] God and turn from the glow of His anger, so that not we will perish." (Jonah 3:9 LIT)

God has no sin to "repent" of. But He does "repent" [nacham: change His mind]... by His Grace and Mercy... when He blots out the sins of a repentant person toward His Law -- [one's transgressions against His Commandments; which is our failure to Love and Respect Him and our fellowman].

God gladly "changes His mind" [repents] about dealing out a well-deserved death for our sins, if we "change our minds" [repent] and "turn away from the evil we do"... and turn to Him with heartfelt sorrow for His Mercy.

"Have Mercy upon me, O God, according to thy Lovingkindness: according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies BLOT OUT MY TRANSGRESSIONS. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin... Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that Thou mightest be Justified when Thou speakest, and be Clear when Thou Judgest." (Ps.51:1-4 KJV)

Same passage (NLT) New Living Translation: "...Have Mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing Love. Because of your Great Compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my shameful deeds - they haunt me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved Right in what you say, and your Judgment against me is Just."

God sincerely "repents" all the time... when we do.

ANSWER

In the Old Testament God says that He will not repent:-

Psalms 110:4 KJV The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Yet, it twice appears that God Himself did repent. This seeming contradiction is because the KJV is over 400 years old, and some words have since changed their meaning.

Strong's Concordance explains this word "repented" is the Hebrew word "nâcham" meaning

"... to sigh, that is, breathe strongly; by implication to be sorry, …. to pity, console ... rue;...

One appearance is in Exodus 32 verse 14:-

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

Other modern versions render this word differently.

Exodus 32:14 NET Then the LORDrelented over the evil that he had said he would do to his people.

Exodus 32:14 GNB So the LORDchanged his mind and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

Exodus 32:14 BBE So the Lord let himself beturned from his purposeof sending punishment on his people.

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A second example is in Jonah chapter 3 verse 10:-

Jonah 3:10 KJV And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and Godrepented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

Other modern versions also render this word in the KJ as "repent" differently:-.

Jonah 3:10 NET When God saw their actions - they turned from their evil way of living! - God relented concerning the judgment25 he had threatened them with and he did not destroy them.

Jonah 3:10 GNB God saw what they did; he saw that they had given up their wicked behavior. So he changed his mind and did not punish them as he had said he would.

Jonah 3:10 BBE And God saw what they did, how they were turned from their evil way; and God's purpose was changed as to the evil which he said he would do to them, and he did it not.

The Old Testament shows that repentance is not the same as relenting, changed your mind , and turning from your purpose.

For a third example, in the New Testament it would appear that Judas repented:-

Matt 27 KJV (v.3) Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

However, other translations make it clear that Judas did not actually repent.The Greek word translated in Matthew 27:3 as "Repent" in the KJames was translated in other versions instead as :

-"changed his mind" (ESV)

-"regretted what had happened" (GW)

-"regretted what he had done"(NET)

-"felt remorse"(NASB)

-"was remorseful"(NKJV)

Once again, repentance is not the same as changing your mind, regretting, and remorse. The entire Bible is consistent.