Emit Teller asks: At your last debate, I didn’t get a chance to ask my question. I recently left atheism, but can’t understand how a perfect God can repent if He knows all things. Can you shed some light on this? I’m talking about Genesis 6:6.

Hey Emit. So first off, this is typically misunderstood due to people reading the King James Version of the Bible with a 21st-century understanding. In Old Hebrew, there are two words translated as repent. One means “to turn back” (often from sin to God), and the other means “to grieve” or “to regret.”

This is the reason why most translations properly change the word repented in Genesis 6:6 to grieved. Rather than God repenting of making humans, He was grieved. Just as a human father grieves over the rebellion of his children, God also grieves over the rebellion of His creation.

This repentance of God needs to be understood as an anthropomorphism—

God communicating His grief over sin rather than a change of heart. This can be easily understood, as God said, “I regret that I have made Saul king” (1 Samuel 15:11), yet in the same context God also said, “He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change His mind; for He is not a human being, that He should change His mind” (1 Samuel 15:29).

In Hebrew:

Nacham — Sense of grief, sorrow, regret, pity, or being consoled. Does not imply a change of heart. Used in passages like Genesis 6:6.

Shuv — Literally means “to turn,” “to return,” or “to turn back.” Emphasizes a change of action or direction. Used in passages like Jeremiah 3:22.

Hope this helps.

Comments:

Emit Teller: Thanks guys. You definitely put things in perspective. Hope you come back sometime.

Hosts Joey and Chris: Thanks for the kind words. Be blessed.

Genesis 6:6

"And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart."