926. The meaning of Jehovah said in his heart as the fact that it would no longer happen this way will be seen from what follows.
When Jehovah is spoken of as saying, it means only that a thing happens or does not happen in this way (or that it is to happen or not to happen in this way). After all, nothing else can be said about Jehovah than "He is." 1
Actions or traits that passages in the Word often attribute to Jehovah are mentioned for the sake of those whose minds cannot grasp anything beyond ordinary human experience. That is why the literal sense has the nature that it does. The simple at heart can learn from the appearances with which we all live. They hardly venture beyond what their senses reveal to them, so the Word speaks at their level of understanding. Such is the case here with the statement that Jehovah said something in his heart.
Footnotes:
1. This statement echoes Exodus 3:14, in which Jehovah declares, "I am who I am." See also note 1 in §630. [LHC]
