2 Chronicles 30:9

Hebrew Bible

8 Now, don’t be stubborn like your fathers. Submit to the Lord and come to his sanctuary which he has permanently consecrated. Serve the Lord your God so that he might relent from his raging anger. 9 For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and sons will be shown mercy by their captors and return to this land. The Lord your God is merciful and compassionate; he will not reject you if you return to him. 10 The messengers journeyed from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, but people mocked and ridiculed them.

Jeremiah 18:8

Hebrew Bible

7 There are times, Jeremiah, when I threaten to uproot, tear down, and destroy a nation or kingdom. 8 But if that nation I threatened stops doing wrong, I will cancel the destruction I intended to do to it. 9 And there are times when I promise to build up and establish a nation or kingdom. 10 But if that nation does what displeases me and does not obey me, then I will cancel the good I promised to do to it.

Tags: YHWH Creed
 Notes and References
"... This quotation deviates from the precise wording of Exodus 34:6–7. The addition of הָעָרָה־לַע םָחִנְו is especially noteworthy. The verb םחנ has a broad range of meaning, but indicates a particular nuance when YHWH is the subject. This verb sometimes refers to human repentance, a concept that at least some Israelite prophets would not ascribe to YHWH (1 Samuel 15:29). Rather, the phrase הָעָרָה־לַע םָחִנְו indicates YHWH’s freedom to change his mind about the disaster he threatens (compare Jeremiah 18:7–10). As mentioned earlier, the timing and extent of YHWH’s punishment, as well as his acts of kindness, remained his prerogative. The following statement offered hope for those who repent: (“Who knows? He may turn, relent, and leave a blessing after him,” Joel 2:14). The phrase הָעָרָה־לַע םָחִנְו may be the theological equivalent of the participial phrases םיִפָלֲאָל דֶסֶח רֵצֹנ and הָאָטַּחְו עַׁשֶפָו ןוָֹע אֵׂשֹנ in the Divine Name Proclamation (DNP). As in 2 Chronicles 30:9, the sense of the divine name formed the basis of a call for repentance: YHWH would turn from his punishing anger if Israel turned from their sins ..."

Surls, Austin Making Sense of the Divine Name in the Book of Exodus: From Etymology to Literary Onomastics (p. 173) Eisenbrauns, 2017

Your Feedback:  
 User Comments

Do you have questions or comments about these texts? Please submit them here.