9 Nevertheless, for my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain from thee, that I cut thee not off.
In spite of the fact that the house of Israel has been
trouble since the very beginning, the Lord made a promise to the patriarchs of
the people, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He promised, among other things, that
his covenant with Abraham would be, “between…thy (Abraham’s) seed after thee in
their generations for an everlasting covenant…” (Genesis 17:7, my emphasis). The covenant
was continued through Isaac (Genesis 21:12), then to Jacob, who took the
birthright from Esau (Genesis 25:29–34; 27:6–40). So to preserve this covenant,
and to keep His word and His good name as being true to His covenants, the Lord
will not break the covenants He made with the patriarchs. He will defer his
anger and not cut off the children of Israel from the covenant.
