Jeremiah 18 · Verse 8

Jeremiah 18:8

If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
Jeremiah 18:8, King James Version

Jeremiah 18:8 in other translations

BSBBut if that nation I warned turns from its evil, then I will relent of the disaster I had planned to bring.
WEBif that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.
ASVif that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
YLTAnd that nation hath turned from its evil, Because I have spoken against it, Then I have repented of the evil that I thought to do to it.
DARBYif that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, then I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
BBEIf, in that very minute, that nation of which I was talking is turned away from its evil, my purpose of doing evil to them will be changed.
WebsterIf that nation against which I have pronounced, shall turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.

What does Jeremiah 18:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. their evil--in antithesis to, "the evil that I thought to do." repent--God herein adapts Himself to human conceptions. The change is not in God, but in the circumstances which regulate God's dealings: just as we say the land recedes from us when we sail forth, whereas it is we who recede from the land (Eze 18:21; 33:11). God's unchangeable principle is to do the best that can be done under all circumstances; if then He did not take into account the moral change in His people (their prayers, &c.), He would not be acting according to His own unchanging principle (Jr 18:9, 10). This is applied practically to the Jews' case (Jr 18:11; see Jr 26:3; Jon 3:10).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 18:1-10

God's power over his creatures is represented by the potter. (Jr 18:1-10) The Jews exhorted to repentance, and judgments foretold. (Jr 18:11-17) The prophet appeals to God. (Jr 18:18-23) Verses 1-10 While Jeremiah looks upon the potter's work, God darts into his mind two great truths. God has authority, and power, to form and fashion kingdoms and nations as he pleases. He may dispose of us as he thinks fit; and it…

Read the full comment on Jeremiah 18:1-10 →

Jeremiah 18:8 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְשָׁב֙ve.Shavand it will turn awayH7725
הַגּ֣וֹיha.Goythe nationH1471
הַה֔וּאha.Hu'<the> thatH1931
מֵרָ֣עָת֔וֹme.Ra.'a.Tofrom evil itsH7451
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherwhichH834
דִּבַּ֖רְתִּיdi.Bar.tiI had spokenH1696
עָלָ֑יו'a.Lavon itH5921
וְנִֽחַמְתִּי֙ve.ni.cham.Tiand I will relentH5162
עַל\־'al-onH5921
הָ֣רָעָ֔הha.ra.'Ahthe calamityH7451
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherwhichH834
חָשַׁ֖בְתִּיcha.Shav.tiI had plannedH2803
לַעֲשׂ֥וֹתla.'a.Sotto doH6213
לֽוֹ\׃\ \סloto <the> it

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jeremiah 18:8

  • Ezekiel 18:21

    But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

  • Jeremiah 26:13

    Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.

  • Jonah 3:9-10

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

  • Hosea 11:8

    How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

  • Jeremiah 26:3

    If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.

  • Joel 2:13-14

    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. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God?

  • Amos 7:3-6

    The Lord repented for this: It shall not be, saith the Lord. Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord God called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part. Then said I, O Lord God, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small. The Lord repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord God.

  • Judges 2:18

    And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

  • Psalms 106:45

    And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.

  • Jeremiah 7:3-7

    Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, are these. For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: …

  • 2 Chronicles 12:6

    Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The Lord is righteous.

  • Isaiah 1:16-19

    Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
that nation.
7:3-7; 36:3; Jud 10:15,16; 1Ki 8:33,34; 2Ch 12:6; Isa 1:16-19
Eze 18:21; 33:11,13; Jon 2:5-10; Lu 13:3-5
I will.
15:6; 26:3,13; 42:10; Ex 32:12; De 32:36; Jud 2:18; Ps 90:13
Ps 106:45; 135:14; Ho 11:8; Joe 2:13,14; Am 7:3-6; Jon 3:9,10; 4:2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Jeremiah 18:7

    At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;

  • Jeremiah 18:8

    If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

  • Jeremiah 18:9

    And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;

Read all of Jeremiah 18

Jeremiah 18:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Empero si esas gentes se convirtieren de su maldad, de que habré hablado, yo me arrepentiré del mal que había pensado hacerles.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		si cette nation au sujet de laquelle j’ai parlé se détourne du mal qu’elle a fait, je me repentirai du mal que je pensais lui faire.
German
Elberfelder 1871		kehrt aber jenes Volk, über welches ich geredet habe, von seiner Bosheit um, so lasse ich mich des Übels gereuen, das ich ihm zu tun gedachte.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		si pœnitentiam egerit gens illa a malo suo quod locutus sum adversus eam, agam et ego pœnitentiam super malo quod cogitavi ut facerem ei.