Repentance in the Old Testament

Introduction

Repentance has a fundamental role in the salvation of sinners; therefore, it is indispensable to understand what repentance is and how it functions in the process of salvation. Questions regarding repentance are controversial and abundant, however the following questions are at the center of the debate and will be addressed in this and subsequent articles:

• What is repentance?
• How does repentance fit into the process of salvation from sin and hell?
• Where does repentance fit into the process of salvation from sin and hell?
• Are repentance and faith two sides of the same coin?
• Is repentance a work?

Many definitions have been suggested for the word repentance based on etymology in English, Latin, Hebrew, and Greek, differing theological positions, extrabiblical literature, Biblical context, Biblical illustrations, and firsthand testimonies. Common definitions of repentance:

1. Change of mind or a change of mind about God, sin, and self
2. Turning from sin and to God
3. Contrition over sin and dedication to change
4. Willingness to do God’s will

Is repentance one of these definitions, none of these definitions, all of these definitions, or a combination of some or all of these definitions? The word repent appears, in various forms of the word, in the Old Testament and in the New Testament of the Bible.

Repentance in the Old Testament

There are two words in Hebrew, which can be translated repent: nacham and shuv. The former will be addressed first.

Nacham

In Genesis we see several uses of the word repent, which is nacham (transliterated), and the first being about Noah and how he will bring nacham or give comfort from the cursed ground according to his father Lamech (Gen 5:28-29). The word nacham here and in many other instances is regarding comfort, consoling, grief, mourning, and sorrow.

The next usage of nacham is in Genesis 6:6-7 when God is sorry for making man and is regretting that decision. How can God have regret or nacham? Here we see God sorry, grieving, and regretting one of his own actions, the creation of man, based on man’s sinful actions. Does this mean God repented of a sin? God did not and does not sin, but he does feel grief, sorrow, and even regret, all of which give us a picture of the word nacham and its usage in the Bible and Old Testament in particular.

However, a natural question arises about God’s immutability if he can regret his own decisions. In at least 42 of the 102 Old Testament instances where nacham is used, God is the subject of the sentence performing the verb or the action of nacham which is translated in the NASB as regretting (Gen 6:6-7, 1 Samuael 15:11), relenting (2 Samuael 24:16, Jerimiah 15:6;18:8, Joel 2:13, Jonah 3:9-10; 4:2,  ), comforting (Isaiah 12:1; 51:9; 52:12, Psalm 23:4), changing of mind (Ex 32:14, Jerimiah 18:10; 26:13; 26:19, Amos 7:3;10), or even repenting (Jerimiah 26:3). Several of these translations do not bristle, but reinforce our understanding of God’s mercy: relenting, comforting, expressing pity or compassion. The issues surround the translations of the word nacham as relent when his intention was not to relent (Amos 7:3;7:6, Jonah 3:10) regret, changing of mind, and repenting. The scriptures make it clear in other cases that God does not repent (Numbers 23:9), change his mind (1 Samuel 15:29), and that his word will be accomplished once spoken (Isaiah 55:11). How are these thoughts reconciled? God being outside of time, but interacting with his creation within time has been suggested as a solution by allowing him to know the end from the beginning and orchestrate his plan without change from outside of time, but interact with his creation in time and there we see the emotions of God playing out in the form of regret or changing of mind in response to peoples cries for help, mercy, and repentance. The balance of God’s sovereignty and man’s free will are at work as we see God responding to his creation’s repentance while simultaneously fulfilling his redemptive plan without changing course. As we seek to define repentance, it is helpful to struggle with this issue of God doing nacham, but not completely necessary that it be solved in reference to his immutability.

In Exodus, nacham is defined as changing of the mind by Israel and God. Changing one’s mind must be in the equation when it comes to repentance as is directly translated in Exodus 13:17; 32:12; 32:14 or is implied when people repent and change their minds about their sin and respond to God’s impending judgment in the book of Jonah (Jonah 3:9). However, repentance is more than a simple mental exercise when other verses with the word nacham are considered of grief, sorrow, pity, and contrition. Repentance is not to be compartmentalized but effects every aspect of a person. The OT Word Study Dictionary says, “נָחַם nāḥam: A verb meaning to be sorry, to pity, to comfort, to avenge. The verb often means to be sorry or to regret: the Lord was sorry that He had made people (Gen. 6:6); He led Israel in a direction to avoid war when they left Egypt, lest they became so sorry and grieved that they would turn back (Ex. 13:17). The Lord had compassion on His people (i.e., He became sorry for them because of the oppression their enemies placed on them [Judg. 2:18]).” When one is sorry, has pity, comforts, or grieves it involves both the mind and emotions. 

The most concise picture of repentance in the Old Testament is seen in Jonah 3 when the wicked people of Ninevah hear God’s message of judgement, mentally understand their sinful state before a holy God, and mentally and emotionally respond in sorrow, grief, and regret over their sin which is manifested in fasting and sitting in sackcloth and ashes and turning from the wicked ways.

Shuv

The word shuv is numerous in the Old Testament and is often translated: turn, return, back, again, restore, away, withdrawn, etc. Turning or changing course is part of repentance because it is what happens repeatedly with this word in the OT. The word shuv is often translated “return” like when Moses returned to Egypt to liberate the Israelites or when, ironically, the Israelites wanted to return to Egypt in the wilderness. The root of return is turn i.e., change course. It is appropriate to attribute some aspect of turning or changing course to the word repentance.

In the next article, we will look at the word repentance in the New Testament and attempt to define the word using all the thoughts, ideas, and usage throughout the scriptures.

Beau Durham lives in Lubbock, Texas, and fellowships at FreeWay Bible Chapel where he serves the Lord in various capacities such as teaching, preaching, and evangelism outreach. He is married to the wonderful Marley Durham and they have two children, Charlie and Thatcher Durham.