^3 (A)Perhaps everyone will listen and turn from his evil way, that I may ^(B)relent concerning the calamity which I purpose to bring on them because of the evil of their doings.’

³ It ^(A)may be that the house of Judah will hear all the adversities which I purpose to bring upon them, that everyone may ^(B)turn from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

⁷ The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to ^(A)pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, ^8 (B)if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, ^(C)I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. ⁹ And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, ¹⁰ if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.

² So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I ^(A)fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a ^(B)gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.

^10 (D)Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.

²⁷ Again, ^(A)when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive. ²⁸ Because he ^(B)considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. ^29 (C)Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair?

^30 (D)“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. ^(E)“Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.

⁷ It may be that they will present their supplication before the Lord, and everyone will turn from his evil way. For great is the anger and the fury that the Lord has pronounced against this people.”

²⁹ “See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he ^(A)has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. ^(B)In the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house.”