Comentario citado sobre Isaías 28:24

יחן Let favour be shewn. A verb ע״ע; it is a form like יוסב is turned (28:27).¹⁰יחַֻן is future Hophal of יוסב ; חנן future Hophal of סבב.—God is merciful to the wicked, but they will not learn righteousness; He has patience with them for a long time, they might perhaps improve.

And concerning what is said And when the wicked turns from his wickedness, etc. (Ezekiel 18:27), and it does not say there about them “he shall surely live because of them,” is because it is speaking of one who repents out of fear, as it is stated there And he sees and turns, etc. (Ezekiel 18:28). The word sees is in the sense of sight, meaning that he observes the sufferings that have come upon him. Therefore, it immediately states there Return and cause others to return, etc., and iniquity shall not be a stumbling block to you (Ezekiel 18:30). For it is known that one who repents out of fear seeks only to save himself and does not seek to bring others to repentance, but one who repents out of love also brings others to repentance, because one who loves the king wants everyone to love him. Therefore, it says, Return and cause others to return, and then iniquity shall not be a stumbling block to you, but rather you will be completely cleansed and no trace of the stumbling block will remain. It appears from this that one who repents out of fear is inferior to one who repents out of love, but one who repents after being compelled, when sufferings have already come upon him, is even more inferior, because when the compelling force is removed, he will return to his evil ways. As it says about Pharaoh and he saw that there was relief, and he hardened his heart (Exodus 8:11). And as it says How long will you refuse to be humbled before Me? (Exodus 10:3) That is to say, not because of the sufferings, but before Me; the submission that comes through sufferings is nothing, because after the sufferings pass, you return to your evil ways. Similarly, any repentance that is done under the compulsion of suffering is worthless, because when the storm and tempest pass, he will return to his former state, as it is said Does the plowman plow all day to sow? (Isaiah 28:24) and that entire parable speaks of this matter.