HEBREW WORD STUDY – REPENT – SHUV  שׁוב 

Jeremiah 25:5:  “They (the prophets) said: ‘Repent now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the Lord hath given unto you and to  your fathers forever and ever.’”

Some translations render this passage as “Repent … so that you may dwell…”  The KJV here is really the closest to the Hebrew, but it also leaves one wondering, “Why repent if there is no reward?” So the modern translators add the “so that” which is not in the Hebrew but helps the passage make some sense. I mean a guy will not repent unless there is something in it for him – right?

The issue is that if you render this as the KJV does, it is just telling you to repent, but not offering any reward for your repentance.  By putting the “so that” in there you are at least saying for your act of repentance you get to stay in the land.  The passage literally reads:  “Repent and dwell in the land.”  

Yes, the “so that “ is implied, unless you view the land of Israel as the Jews do, a  Holy land, the land where Shekinah glory dwells, the land where you can worship God.  That, of course, changed after the coming of the Messiah and as Jesus taught the woman at the well that there was coming a time when you would worship God in your heart and not at a place.  But for the time this passage was written, you worshipped God in a place, Israel. Thus, the sages view this as a two-fold command, repent and continue in the land to worship. There is no reward offered for repentance unless you consider the act of worship a reward.  Hold that thought. 

Now, wait a minute, who is going to repent and not get anything in return?  The word repent here is shuv which means to return, turn back, turn away, cease, change your mind.  You are to cease, turn away from all evil and worship God, why?  The text doesn’t say.  In verse 6 we are told not to go after other gods, so no harm would come to us, but to relate this to repentance would not be using proper syntax.  You are really offered nothing here for your repentance, no salvation, no deliverance from financial disaster,  no healing, nothing, zip,  only the opportunity to continue to worship God. 

I grew up in a Baptist Church where evangelism was a true passion.  You went out soul winning, getting people saved, so they would not go to hell, not die lost, to get their lives right, to get off drugs, out of crime, restore marriages, families, you name it that was in my sales pitch.  I mean that was the American way. You have to make the product attractive or no one will buy.  Who is going to buy a product that may offer suffering, hardship and/or sacrifice? You are guaranteed one thing, however, you will be permitted to worship the God of the Universe.

There is an ancient story told by the sages to explain shuv, repentance.  Two men dug a tunnel to enter the Kings treasury with the intention to steal from the King.  One’s tunnel leads to the wrong chamber and when he entered he found no treasure, so he quickly made his escape.  The other dug a tunnel to the treasury, but when he started to fill his bags with the King’s wealth, he suddenly realized that what he was doing would dishonor the king, so he emptied his bags and escaped without anything.   Both men were caught, arrested and brought before the king.  Both confessed to their crime and repented.  The man who entered the wrong chamber was sent to prison, however, the man who had the opportunity to steal but did not out of honor and love for the king was released and even rewarded. The sages teach that true repentance comes out of a desire to honor and please God not out of trying to save your own skin.

Thus, in Jeremiah 25:5 there is indeed a reward for repentance.  That reward is not wealth, peace, happiness, but the right relationship with God, the right to enjoy a love relationship with Him.