0 God does repent?

God is not the author of confusion 1 Corinthians 14:33

All contradictions in The Mormon Scriptures

God does repent?

32. Does God repent?


No, God does not repent?

God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of a man that he should repent. Numbers 23:19

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

The Lord ... will not repent. Psalm 110:4

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. Ezekiel 24:14

For I am the Lord, I change not. Malachi 3:6

With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

Yes, God repents.

Before the flood (and just after the sons of God had sex with the daughters of men), God repented for having made humans.

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

After Aaron made the people dance naked around his golden calf, God decided to kill all of the Israelites. But Moses talked him out of it by saying, "What will the neighbors think?" So God repented of the evil he'd planned to do.

And Moses besought the LORD ... Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. ... And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people. Exodus 32:11-14

God threatens to judge his people and repent by killing everyone, saying, "I will make mine arrows drunk with blood and my sword shall devour flesh."

For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants.... I kill ... I wound ... I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh. Deuteronomy 32:36-42

God repented after selling the Israelites to their enemies (because of their groanings).

It repented the LORD because of their groanings. Judges 2:18

After Saul failed to commit complete genocide as God commanded, God repented of making Saul king.

It repenteth me [God] that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments [Committing complete genocide on the Amalekits] ... and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel. 1 Samuel 15:11, 35

After God killed 70,000 men (and 200,000 or so women and children) in a pestilence to punish Israel for a census that God (and/or Satan) inspired, "the Lord repented him of the evil" and quit killing people.

The anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. ... So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men. And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. 2 Samuel 24:1-16

And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. ... And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel. ... So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men. And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. 1 Chronicles 21:1-15

God told Hezekiah that he would die soon, but changed his mind (repented) after Hezekiah's prayer. So he let him live anoter fifteen years.

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. ...

Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, ... Thus saith the LORD ... I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. Isaiah 38:1-5

If a nation repents of its evil, God will repent of the evil things he had planned to do to it.

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. Jeremiah 18:8

If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings. Jeremiah 26:3

Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you. Jeremiah 26:13

Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD, and the LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls. Jeremiah 26:19

If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I [God] repent me of the evil that I have done unto you. Jeremiah 42:10

If a nation does evil, God will repent of the good things he was planning to do to it.

If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I [God] will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them. Jeremiah 18:8

After Jonah's converted the people of Ninevah, God repented of the evil that he planned to do to them.

So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh ... So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth ... For word came unto the king of Nineveh ... and he ... covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes ... saying ... let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God. ... 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 3:3-10

In Amos's first vision, God makes grass-eating grasshoppers, and then repents.

GOD shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers ... when they had made an end of eating the grass ... The Lord repented for this. Amos 7:1-3

In Amos's second vision, God burns up the earth and sea, and then repents.

Behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part. ... The LORD repented for this. Amos 7:4-6

God has repented, in fact, so many times he's getting tired of it.

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

Maybe he'll repent, maybe he won't

Who knoweth if he [God] will return and repent. Joel 2:14

Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? Jonah 3:10


Christian Response
Annotated Skeptic's Annotated Bible
GodQuestions.org
Christian Research Institute

Copyright © 1999-2024
The Skeptic's Annotated Bible

Send comments to Steve Wells
at swwells(at)gmail.com