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.”
“Even now, the LORD calls the people to repentance. It is not too late to return to Him. But it must be more than outward ritual. Their turning was to be with all their heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” [Believers Bible Commentary]
Here the God is looking for true repentance. Centuries later Jesus calls out the scribes and Pharisees as hypocrites in Matthew Chapter 23. To me one very relevant verse is Matthew 23:5, “But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,” Today churches, especially the Roman Catholic Church, place great value on ritual and impressive regalia. What this has to do with the simplicity of the gospel is beyond me. The church that Jesus and his disciples preached to was wherever they were. Rather than ritual, a change of heart is required!
But I digress, the attributes of the Lord given in Joel 2:13 includes gracious, merciful, slow to anger, great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
In my opinion, the Bible in Basic English is clearer with respect to “repenteth him of the evil.” Joel 2:13, “Let your hearts be broken, and not your clothing, and come back to the Lord your God: for he is full of grace and pity, slow to be angry and great in mercy, ready to be turned from his purpose of punishment.”
Falling back on The King James Version with Strong’s Number:
Gracious: H2587, From H2603; gracious: - gracious. H2603, A primitive root to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow; causatively to implore (that is, move to favor by petition, merciful, have mercy, have pity.
Merciful: H7349, full of compassion, merciful.
Slow to anger: anger: Here the Apostolic Bible Polyglot with Strong’s Numbers is to me a better fit, From G3563; to exercise the mind (observe), that is, (figuratively) to comprehend, heed: - consider, perceive, think, understand.to think differently or afterwards, that is, reconsider (morally to feel compunction): - repent.
Of great kindness: H2617, kindness, merciful, mercy, pity
Repenteth him of the evil: “ready to be turned from his purpose of punishment” [Bible in Basic English]
Joel 2:13, best summarized in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
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