The Mercy of God in the Old Testament

This book is a study of God’s mercy, together with related themes such as grace, steadfast love, patience, and forgiveness, throughout the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible.

Beginning with God’s self-declaration of his merciful character in Exodus 34:6–7, the book leads readers through the various iterations of this “Compassion Creed” throughout the Old Testament, exploring the several terms describing God’s character as well as descriptions of nonverbal indications of mercy, which to date have received little attention. God’s mercy is shown to be a more central and pervasive theme than has sometimes been acknowledged and (while not exclusively) can profitably serve as a focal point for a comprehensive Old Testament theology.

The Mercy of God in the Old Testament is suitable for students and scholars of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, particularly those working on Exodus and the nature and characterisation of God in the Bible. New Testament scholars should also find here a rich resource for exploration of the background to such themes as mercy and grace in the New Testament.