Jeremiah 26:3

3 if peradventure they hear, and be converted, each man from his evil way, and it repent me of the evil, which I thought to do to them, for the malices of their studies. (if perhaps they hear, and each person turn from his evil ways, and then I shall repent for the evil, which I had thought to do to them, for the malice of their deeds.)

Jeremiah 26:3 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 26:3

If so be they will hearken
And obey; which is expressive not of ignorance and conjecture in God, but of his patience and long suffering, granting space and time for repentance, and the means of it; which disregarded, leave without excuse: and turn every man from his evil way;
his series and course of life, which was evil, and was the case of everyone; so that as their sin was general, the reformation ought to be so too: that I may repent me of the evil which I purpose to do unto them;
or "am thinking", or "devising ^F4 to do unto them"; which repentance must be understood not of a change of mind, but of the course of his providence towards them, which, by his threatenings, and some steps taken, portended ruin and destruction; yet, in case of repentance and reformation, he would change his method of action agreeably to his will: because of the evil of their doings;
this was the reason why he had threatened them with the evil of punishment, because of the evil of their actions; which were breaches of his law, and such as provoked the eyes of his glory.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 (bvx ykna rva) "quod ego (sum) cogitans", Schmidt.

Jeremiah 26:3 In-Context

1 In the beginning of the realm of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word was made of the Lord, and said, (At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, the king of Judah, this word of the Lord was made to Jeremiah, and said,)

2 The Lord said these things, Stand thou in the foreyard of the house of the Lord, and thou shalt speak to all the cities of Judah, from which they come for to worship in the house of the Lord, all the words which I command to thee, that thou speak to them; do not thou withdraw a word; (The Lord said these things, Stand thou in the courtyard of the House of the Lord, and thou shalt speak to all people of the cities of Judah, from which they come in order to worship in the House of the Lord, all the words which I command thee, that thou speak to them; do not thou withhold one word;)

3 if peradventure they hear, and be converted, each man from his evil way, and it repent me of the evil, which I thought to do to them, for the malices of their studies. (if perhaps they hear, and each person turn from his evil ways, and then I shall repent for the evil, which I had thought to do to them, for the malice of their deeds.)

4 And thou shalt say to them, The Lord saith these things, If ye hear not me, that ye go in my law which I gave to you, (And thou shalt say to them, The Lord saith these things, If ye do not listen to me, so that ye go in my Law which I gave to you,)

5 that ye hear the words of my servants, (the) prophets, which I rising by night, and (ad)dressing, sent to you, and ye heard not; (and that ye hear the words of my servants, the prophets, which I rising up by night, and directing, sent to you, but ye did not listen to them;)