<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 17px; "><strong>"Does God change His mind?"<br><br></strong>Malachi 3:6 declares, “<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">I the LORD do not change</span></b>. So you, O sons of Yaakov, are not consumed.” The thought is similar to Jer. 30:11: "I will correct thee in measure, and will not utterly destroy thee." God's nature is unchangeable; He is ever the same, loving good and hating evil. Justice must therefore take its course and evil be punished; but in His lovingkindness chastisement is tempered with mercy God purifies B'nai Yisroel but will not utterly consume them. Many commentators consider this verse to be introductory to the posuk which follows wherein the navi rebukes the people for 'robbing' God, defrauding Him of tithes and other dues, and translates: "As I the Lord am not changed, so you have not ceased to be sons of Yaakov," giving to Yaakov its original meaning of 'one who supplants and defrauds. (cf. Bereshis 27:36). <br><br>There are those who erroneously think this contradicts what is taught in other pesukim, such as Bereshis 6:6, “The LORD was grieved that He had made man on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain.” Also, Yonah 3:10 which says, “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction He had threatened.” Similarly, Shmos 32:14 proclaims, “Then the LORD relented and did not bring on His people the disaster He had threatened.” These verses speak of the Lord “repenting” of something, and seem to be contrary to verses that teach that God is unchanging. However, close examination of these passages reveals that these are not truly indications that God is capable of changing. In Hebrew, the word that is translated as “repent,” or “relent,” is the Hebrew expression of “to be sorry for.” Being sorry for something does not mean that a change has occurred; it simply means that there is regret for something that has taken place.</span><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Tahoma"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Tahoma"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">ri</span></font></div></body></html>