Hi Darren,
I think that when God was angry it was to show us His displeasure in something and was not the uncontrolled angry that we may have. God knows the beginning from the end, so He certainly knows what people will do. So He would not get mad at them, so much as showed His anger for their benefit, so they would know what displeases Him.
Carol, here is the Rotherham translation;
1Sa 15:11 I am
grieved that I made Saul to be king, for he hath turned back from following me, and, my words, hath he not established. And it was vexing to Samuel, so that he made outcry unto Yahweh, all the night.
Here are a few emails that I think should help with these questions.
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6961.0.html ---------
Dear Don: Don't misunderstand the meaning of "sorry" as it was used in archaic English. He was not "sorry" as in "I made a mistake that I now wish I hadn't made." That is nonsense. It is translated "grieved," and that is the proper word. Also the word for "repented" can mean to "pity." And these are proper emotional statements coming from God that do not insinuate that He didn't know what He was doing. God says he takes "no delight in the death of the wicked." But that doesn't mean He is sorry that He ever created humanity which is mostly wicked. And so when they death was to come, God felt pity and was grieved for the destruction that He brought upon them as a part of His original plan from the beginning. Hope this helps your understanding.
God be with you,
Ray
http://bible-truths.com/email4.htm#Muslim -------------------------
Certainly God did NOT change His mind. When it said, for example, in Ex. 32:14 that God repented [CHANGED HIS MIND?] of the evil He had thought to do, does that mean that, HE CHANGED HIS MIND? No, of course not. God says, in effect, If these conditions continue, I will do THAT, if they change, I will do THIS. It is all written from man's perspective. It was GOD Who brought about the conditions that would require "that" to be done, and it was ALSO GOD Who then brought about the condition that will make "this" happen. GOD DOES NOT EVER CHANGE HIS MIND:
"God is NOT A MAN that He should REPENT [change His mind]" (I Sam. 16:29)!
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http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,2124.0.html -----
So God made a mistake? He thought that He would destroy Israel, but He was wrong? He determined the very best course of action to take with Israel, but it was ill-conceived? He had to relent? He had to back down? He had to be shown true love and righteousness by a carnal minded sinner named Moses? It took His Own creature to show Him the way? Moses had more wisdom than God Almighty? God got frustrated? Moses kept his cool? God lost it? Moses was more mature about the situation and was successful in showing God the error of His way? Do we think that God continues to make such rash and quick-tempered judgments to wipe out whole nations before He thinks things through thoroughly?
"For who has known the mind of the Lord? or who has been His counsellor?" (Rom. 11:34). Answer? Why MOSES, of course. Moses became God's counsellor and set Him back on the straight and narrow and salvaged a whole nation from the indiscriminate wrath of an uncontrolled God. Not? NOT!!!
How foolish. "God is not a man that He should lie, neither the son of man that He should REPENT" (Number 23:19). God wanted Moses to come to the rescue of Israel. God SET HIM UP for this very thing. God KNEW that Moses would come to the defense of his people, and this is precisely what God predetermined that Moses would do. God had no intention of destroying Israel at this time.
"So Yahwah showed MERCY [Heb: 'nacham'] concerning the evil which He spoke of doing to His people" (Ex. 32:14, Concordant Literal Old Testament).
God be with you,
Ray