God Repented?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by The Parson, Jun 12, 2017.

  1. The Parson

    The Parson Your friendly neighborhood parson Staff Member

    Genesis 6:6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
    So how about that? God repented that he made man. Thoughts?
     
  2. RabbiKnife

    RabbiKnife Open the pod bay door, please HAL. Staff Member

    Demonstrates that God has personality and desires relationship.
     
  3. The Parson

    The Parson Your friendly neighborhood parson Staff Member

    It sure does, doesn't it?
     
  4. devilslayer365

    devilslayer365 Wazzup?!

    I think it needs to be clarified that God didn't "repent" in the sense that He had sinned and felt remorse for doing so. The Bible indicates God is without sin. He repented in the sense of feeling regret. For having made man. At least in that moment.
     
  5. The Parson

    The Parson Your friendly neighborhood parson Staff Member

    Repenting is changing your mind and/or going in the opposite direction. In the Fathers case, it was a changing of the mind I would think. It has absolutely nothing to do with sin Aaron. It's impossible for God to sin.
     
    Last edited: Jun 12, 2017
  6. IMINXTC

    IMINXTC Time Bandit

    Context rules out the notion that God had "repented" of His plan for man, but He would have us know that what He had once deemed "good" has become grievous.

    Outside of the faith as exemplified by Noah, the world is destined, without hope, for destruction.

    God is grieved by man's evil, thus, man acts according to his own free will.
     
  7. פNIʞƎƎS

    פNIʞƎƎS Connoisseur of Memes Staff Member

    I found this in the ESV Study Bible notes:

    Gen. 6:6–7 the Lord regretted … it grieved him to his heart. The Hebrew verb rendered “regretted” (Hb. nakham) is sometimes translated “repent,” and sometimes as “feel sorrow, be grieved.” God is grieved over his creation, which he at first saw as very good (1:31) but which is now filled with sin (see notes on 1 Sam. 15:11; 15:29; Jonah 3:10). The destruction of man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens suggests that this will be a reversal of God’s creative work. The resulting flood reflects this, for the dry land is submerged under water, subsequently to reappear, as in Gen. 1:9. from the face of the land. On the extent of the flood, see note on 6:17.

    And this from the NET Bibles notes:

    tn Or “was grieved”; “was sorry.” In the Niphal stem the verb נָחָם (nakham) can carry one of four semantic meanings, depending on the context: (1) “to experience emotional pain or weakness,” “to feel regret,” often concerning a past action (see Exod 13:17; Judg 21:6, 15; 1 Sam 15:11, 35; Job 42:6; Jer 31:19). In several of these texts כִּי (ki, “because”) introduces the cause of the emotional sorrow. (2) Another meaning is “to be comforted” or “to comfort oneself” (sometimes by taking vengeance). See Gen 24:67; 38:12; 2 Sam 13:39; Ps 77:3; Isa 1:24; Jer 31:15; Ezek 14:22; 31:16; 32:31. (This second category represents a polarization of category one.) (3) The meaning “to relent from” or “to repudiate” a course of action which is already underway is also possible (see Judg 2:18; 2 Sam 24:16 = 1 Chr 21:15; Pss 90:13; 106:45; Jer 8:6; 20:16; 42:10). (4) Finally, “to retract” (a statement) or “to relent or change one’s mind concerning,” “to deviate from” (a stated course of action) is possible (see Exod 32:12, 14; 1 Sam 15:29; Ps 110:4; Isa 57:6; Jer 4:28; 15:6; 18:8, 10; 26:3, 13, 19; Ezek 24:14; Joel 2:13-14; Am 7:3, 6; Jonah 3:9-10; 4:2; Zech 8:14). See R. B. Chisholm, “Does God ‘Change His Mind’?” BSac 152 (1995): 388. The first category applies here because the context speaks of God’s grief and emotional pain (see the following statement in v. 6) as a result of a past action (his making humankind). For a thorough study of the word נָחָם, see H. Van Dyke Parunak, “A Semantic Survey of NHM,” Bib 56 (1975): 512-32.
    tn Heb “and he was grieved to his heart.” The verb עָצָב (’atsav) can carry one of three semantic senses, depending on the context: (1) “to be injured” (Ps 56:5; Eccl 10:9; 1 Chr 4:10); (2) “to experience emotional pain”; “to be depressed emotionally”; “to be worried” (2 Sam 19:2; Isa 54:6; Neh 8:10-11); (3) “to be embarrassed”; “to be offended” (to the point of anger at another or oneself); “to be insulted” (Gen 34:7; 45:5; 1 Sam 20:3, 34; 1 Kgs 1:6; Isa 63:10; Ps 78:40). This third category develops from the second by metonymy. In certain contexts emotional pain leads to embarrassment and/or anger. In this last use the subject sometimes directs his anger against the source of grief (see especially Gen 34:7). The third category fits best in Gen 6:6 because humankind’s sin does not merely wound God emotionally. On the contrary, it prompts him to strike out in judgment against the source of his distress (see v. 7). The verb וַיִּתְעַצֵּב (vayyit’atsev), a Hitpael from עָצָב, alludes to the judgment oracles in Gen 3:16-19. Because Adam and Eve sinned, their life would be filled with pain; but sin in the human race also brought pain to God. The wording of v. 6 is ironic when compared to Gen 5:29. Lamech anticipated relief (נָחָם, nakham) from their work (מַעֲשֶׂה, ma’aseh) and their painful toil (עִצְּבֹן, ’itsÿvon), but now we read that God was sorry (נָחָם, nakham) that he had made (עָשָׂה, ’asah) humankind for it brought him great pain (עָצָב, ’atsav).
     
  8. פNIʞƎƎS

    פNIʞƎƎS Connoisseur of Memes Staff Member

    All that to say that I believe God was deeply sad due to the condition of man. The same way the Jesus wept in the Lazarus situation. Though He knew He was going to raise Lazarus, He still showed his compassion and love for Lazarus and his sisters.
     

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