Does the Lord Repent? in Bible and Quran

The definition of Repent according to the Linguistics, Psychiatrists, Sociologists and Theologizes

To Repent means to feel sorry for an imprudent act, To feel remorse for what one has done or failed to do, To feel regret for past conduct of intemperate behavior , To cause to feel remorse or regret.

Psychiatrists say that to repent means to feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct; regret or be conscience-stricken about a past action, attitude, etc.

Sociologists say that to repent means to feel ashamed of a fault as to be disposed to change one's life for the better.

Theologizes say that to repent means to feel sorry for sin ; to make a change for the better as a result of remorse for one's sins. We all must repent or perish. God will throw those who refuse to repent into unquenchable fire.

Does the Lord Repent? In the Bible

The Lord commands the Israelites to Repent from all their transgressions.

However, the Bible says that they did not Repent.

Instead, the Lord himself was the one who always repents.

Moses said to the Lord: repent and do not bring disaster on your people, Then the LORD repented. David said to the Lord: Repent, Have compassion on your servants, Then the LORD repented. Joel and Jonah said to the Lord: repent of the evil, and God repented of the evil. The Lord sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it, Then He repented. Also, the Lord said: If the people repent and obey, I will repent.

However, it seems likely that the Lord usually repented. Nevertheless, the Lord asks: Should I repent? But, What if the Lord does not repent? He will bend and string his bow and struck down nations in fury subdued with aggression. The nations should be careful because the Lord have decided and will not repent.

Nonetheless, the Bible says that God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent

The Lord commands the Israelites to Repent from all their transgressions.

Ezekiel 14:6

Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.

Ezekiel 18:30

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

Moses said to the Lord: repent and do not bring disaster on your people, Then the LORD repented.

Exodus 32:12

Why should the Egyptians say, 'It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce anger; repent and do not bring disaster on your people.

Exodus 32:14

Then the LORD repented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

David said to the Lord: Repent, Have compassion on your servants, Then the LORD repented.



Psalm 90:13

Repent, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants.

Psalm 106:45

for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he repented.

The Lord sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it, Then He repented.

1 Chronicles 21:15

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,

Joel and Jonah said to the Lord: repent of the evil, and God repented of the evil.

Joel 2:13

And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

Jonah 3:9

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

Jonah 3:10

And 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; and he did it not.

Jonah 4:2

And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

If the people repent and obey, the Lord will repent

Jeremiah 18:8

and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will repent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned.

Jeremiah 26:3

Perhaps they will listen and each will turn from his evil way. Then I will repent and not bring on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done.

Jeremiah 26:13

Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the LORD your God. Then the LORD will repent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you.

Jeremiah 26:19

"Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah fear the LORD and seek his favor? And did not the LORD repent, so that he did not bring the disaster he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster on ourselves!"

However, it seems likely that the Lord usually repented.

Amos 7:3

So the LORD repented. "This will not happen," the LORD said.

Amos 7:6

So the LORD repented. "This will not happen either," the Sovereign LORD said.

Nevertheless, the Lord asks: Should I repent?

Isaiah 57:6

The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion; they, they are your lot. Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings and offered grain offerings. In the light of these things, should I repent?

What if the Lord does not repent?

He will bend and string his bow and struck down nations in fury subdued with aggression.

Psalm 7:11

If he does not repent, he will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow.

Isaiah 14:6

which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued nations with repentless aggression.

The nations should be careful because the Lord have decided and will not repent

Jeremiah 4:28

Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above grow dark, because I have spoken and will not repent, I have decided and will not turn back."

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; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord GOD.

It follows that, it is confusing to know that the Lord repented, and then He asks if He should repent. Then He decided not to Repent.

The puzzlement will great if we know that the Lord is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent. Now the question is: who was the one who kept repenting in the preceding verses?

Numbers 23:19

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

Does the Lord Repent? In the Quran:

The Quran declares that Allah cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned (for theirs); and He never ever repents. It is the man who will be asked about his acts. Also, the Quran gives three examples of the most famous Historical Repents and they are 1) Adam's son, 2) People after Noah and 3) Thamud people. Also, the Quran says that the Hypocrites will certainly repent in the Afterlife. And, the Quran gives an advice to the Believers in order not to repent.

Allah cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned (for theirs). This verse says that Allah is above all, no one can ask or question Him about His acts, and He never ever repents. On the other hand, it is the man who will be asked about his acts at the Day of Judgment.

Surah 21:23

He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned (for theirs).

The most famous Historical Repents:

1) One of the Adam's sons killed his brother; the murder became full of Repent.

Surah 5:30-31

[30] The (selfish) soul of the other led him to the murder of his brother: he murdered him, and became (himself) one of the lost ones.

[31] Then Allah sent a raven, who scratched the ground, to show him how to hide the shame of his brother. "Woe is me!" said he; "Was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother?" Then he became full of regrets (Repent).

2) People after Noah

After Noah, Allah sent many Prophets and Messengers that we do not know exactly how many they were. This is the story of each of them.

Surah 23: 31-42

[31] Then We raised after them another generation.

[32] And We sent to them a Messenger from among themselves, (saying), "Worship Allah! Ye have no other god but Him. Will ye not fear (Him)?"

[33] And the chiefs of his people, who disbelieved and denied the Meeting in the Hereafter, and on whom We had bestowed the good things of this life, said: "He is no more than a man like yourselves; he eats of that of which ye eat, and drinks of what ye drink.

[34] "If ye obey a man like yourselves, behold, it is certain ye will be lost.

[35] "Does he promise that when ye die and become dust and bones, ye shall be brought forth (again)?

[36] "Far, very far is that which ye are promised!

[37] "There is nothing but our life in this world! We shall die and we live! But we shall never be raised up again!

[38] "He is only a man who invents a lie against Allah, but we are not the ones to believe in him!"

[39] (The prophet) said: "O my Lord! help me: for that they accuse me of falsehood."

[40] (Allah) said: "In but a little while, they are sure to be sorry! (Repenting)"

[41] Then the Blast overtook them with justice, and We made them as rubbish of dead leaves (floating on the stream of Time)! So away with the people who do wrong!

[42] Then We raised after them other generations.

3) Thamud people

The people of Thamud disobeyed, denied then repented; but it was too late.

Their Messenger is called "Salih". This story is not found in the Bible.

Surah 26: 141-158

[141] The Thamud (people) rejected the Messengers.

[142] Behold, their brother "Salih" said to them: "Will you not fear (Allah)?

[143] "I am to you a Messenger worthy of all trust.

[144] "So fear Allah, and obey me.

[145] "No reward do I ask of you for it: my reward is only from the Lord of the Worlds.

[146] "Will ye be left secure, in (the enjoyment of) all that ye have here?

[147] "Gardens and Springs,

[148] "And corn-fields and date palms with spathes near breaking (with the weight of fruit)?

[149] "And ye carve houses out of (rocky) mountains with great skill.

[150] "But fear Allah and obey me;

[151] "And follow not the bidding of those who are extravagant,

[152] "Who make mischief in the land, and mend not (their ways)."

[153] They said: "Thou art only one of those bewitched!

[154] "Thou art no more than a mortal like us: then bring us a Sign, if thou tellest the truth!"

[155] He said: "Here is a she-camel: she has a right of watering, and ye have a right of watering, (severally) on a day appointed.

[156] "Touch her not with harm, lest the Penalty of a Great Day seize you."

[157] But they ham-strung her: then did they become full of regrets.

[158] But the Penalty seized them: Verily in this is a Sign: but most of them did not believe.

The Hypocrites will certainly repent in the Afterlife. Then the Quran gives an advice to the Believers in order not to repent.

Surah 5: 52

Those in whose hearts is a disease, thou seest how eagerly they run about amongst them, saying: "We do fear lest a change of fortune bring us disaster." Ah! Perhaps Allah will give (thee) victory, or a decision according to His Will. Then will they repent of the thoughts which they secretly harboured in their hearts.

Then the Quran gives an advice to the Believers in order not to repent.

Surah 49:6

O ye who believe! if a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest ye harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done.

Again, It should be emphasized that Islam consider saying that the Lord repents or repented as a big unforgiving offense in respect to the Lord the Almighty Creator.

Anyone who believes that the Lord the Almighty Creator has repents or repented put himself in the category of unbeliever and he is responsible for himself at the Day of Judgment when the Lord the Almighty Creator asks him:" Do I repent? Did I repent?

The wise one should prepare his answer for that big day.

Back to the main topic of my series of articles (1- 44); this is my question to you smart readers: "Is the Quran quoted from the Bible "?