Exodus 32:14

The Lord repented. The Lord was moved by the earnest, selfless prayer of His faithful servant. God could not refuse the pleadings of one who thought more of his people than he did of his own exaltation and honor. What a tribute this was to the character of Moses, what a revelation of divine love (John 3:16; Phil. 2:5-8).

The words “the Lord repented” are a feeble attempt to express the divine will in human language. Strictly speaking, God cannot change His purpose, for He knows “the end from the beginning” (1 Sam. 15:29; Isa. 46:9, 10; 55:11). However, when sinners forsake their sin and turn to Him, when His children supplicate Him for mercy and forgiveness, then He does “repent.” He changes from wrath to mercy, from judgment to gracious pardon (Ps. 106:44, 45; Jer. 18:5-10; 26:3; Joel 2:12-14; Jonah 3:9, 10; 4:2).