hands upon his loins like a female that is giving birth.”—Jer. 30:6.

The Hebrew word keʹsel, “loins,” appears several times at Leviticus 3:4-15, referring to communion sacrifices. It is also used at Job 15:27 and Psalm 38:7. It is translated “flanks” and “loins” in the Authorized Version.

LOIS

(Loʹis) [better, agreeable].

Timothy’s grandmother and apparently the parent of his mother Eunice. That she was not Timothy’s paternal grandmother is indicated by the Syriac rendering “thy mother’s mother.” Lois is commended by Paul, who indicates that she was a Christian woman having ‘faith without hypocrisy.’ (2 Tim. 1:5) The family’s residence apparently was in Lystra. (Acts 16:1, 2) Comparison of 2 Timothy 1:5 with 2 Timothy 3:15 suggests that Lois and Eunice both taught Timothy from the Scriptures.

LONG-SUFFERING

The literal meaning of the Hebrew expression translated “long-suffering” and “slow to anger” is “length of face or nostrils [where anger flares up].” The Greek words mean “longness of spirit” or “long-tempered”; “longness of [slowness to exercise] passion, indignation or wrath.” Both the Hebrew and Greek expressions denote patience, forbearance, slowness to anger or to take revenge. The English word “suffering” in the word “long-suffering” has the sense of “putting up with, permitting, tolerating, holding up or delaying.” “Long-suffering” means more than merely enduring pain or trouble. It does not mean merely “suffering long,” but involves deliberate restraint.

The Scriptures reveal God’s evaluation of long-suffering and point out the foolishness and bad results of not maintaining “longness of spirit.” The long-suffering person may seem weak, but he actually is using discernment. “He that is slow to anger is abundant in discernment, but one that is impatient is exalting foolishness.” (Prov. 14:29) Long-suffering is better than physical mightiness, and will accomplish more. “He that is slow to anger is better than a mighty man, and he that is controlling his spirit than the one capturing a city.”—Prov. 16:32.

The man who is not ‘long in spirit,’ but who bursts forth without restraint, is open to the invasion of any and all improper thoughts and actions, for: “As a city broken through, without a wall, is the man that has no restraint for his spirit.” (Prov. 25:28) “All his spirit is what a stupid one lets out, but he that is wise keeps it calm to the last.” (Prov. 29:11) For these reasons, the wise man counsels not to be ‘short in spirit’: “Do not hurry yourself in your spirit to become offended, for the taking of offense is what rests in the bosom of the stupid ones.”—Eccl. 7:9.

Long-suffering is the patient endurance of wrong or provocation, combined with a refusal to give up hope for improvement in the disturbed relationship. Long-suffering therefore has a purpose, looking particularly to the welfare of the one causing the disagreeable situation. It does not mean the condoning of wrong, however. When the purpose for long-suffering is accomplished, or when there is no point in further putting up with the situation, long-suffering ends. It ends either with good to those giving provocation or with action against the wrongdoers. In any case the one exercising long-suffering is not harmed in spirit.

JEHOVAH’S LONG-SUFFERING

When Jehovah took Moses up into Mount Horeb and showed him some of his glory, he declared before Moses: “Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth, preserving loving-kindness for thousands, pardoning error and transgression and sin, but by no means will he give exemption from punishment.” (Ex. 34:5-7) This truth about Jehovah’s slowness to anger was repeated by Moses, David, Nahum and others.—Num. 14:18; Neh. 9:17; Ps. 86:15; 103:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Nah. 1:3.

While long-suffering is an attribute of Jehovah, it is always expressed in harmony with his primary attributes of love, justice, wisdom and power. (1 John 4:8; Deut. 32:4; Prov. 2:6; Ps. 62:11; Isa. 40:26, 29) Justice is due, first of all, to God’s own name. That name must be exalted above all others in the universe; and this is essential for the well-being of all his creatures. The magnifying of his name is one of his chief reasons for long-suffering, as the apostle Paul explains: “If, now, God, although having the will to demonstrate his wrath and to make his power known, tolerated with much long-suffering vessels of wrath made fit for destruction, in order that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory, namely, us, whom he called not only from among Jews but also from among nations, what of it?” (Rom. 9:22-24) God, in exercising long-suffering, is taking out a people for his name. And by means of them he is magnifying himself in all the earth.—Acts 15:14; 1 Cor. 3:9, 16, 17; 2 Cor. 6:16.

God exhibited his long-suffering in the very early part of man’s history. Rebellion of the first human couple had brought violation of his law. But instead of executing them immediately, as God could have justly done, in love he displayed long-suffering. This was for their as-yet-unborn descendants, to whom such long-suffering meant everything (his patience means salvation for many [2 Pet. 3:15]). More importantly, God also had in view the magnifying of his glory by means of the Seed of promise. (Gen. 3:15; John 3:16; Gal. 3:16) And God not only was long-suffering at that time, but he knew that he would have to put up with imperfect mankind for several thousand years of history, delaying punishment against a world at enmity with him. (Jas. 4:4) Some have misunderstood and misused God’s long-suffering toward them, missing its purpose by viewing it as slowness rather than loving patience.—Rom. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9.

Nowhere is the long-suffering of God more evident than in his dealings with the ancient nation of Israel. (Rom. 10:21) Time and again he received them back after they had fallen away, were punished, and repented. They killed his prophets and finally his own Son. They fought the preaching of the good news by Jesus and his apostles. But God’s long-suffering was not wasted. There was a remnant that proved faithful. (Isa. 6:8-13; Rom. 9:27-29; 11:5) Under inspiration, he used some of such faithful ones to write his Word. (Rom. 3:1, 2) The Law he gave showed that all mankind are sinners and need a redeemer and pointed to that One who would give his life as a ransom price and who would be exalted to the high position of King. (Gal. 3:19, 24) Patterns of that Kingdom administration and of Christ’s priesthood were provided (Col. 2:16, 17; Heb. 10:1), and examples for us to follow or avoid were set forth. (1 Cor. 10:11; Heb. 6:12; Jas. 5:10) All these things are essential to mankind for the gaining of everlasting life.—Rom. 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17.

Jehovah not long-suffering forever

On the other hand, God is long-suffering only as long as it is in harmony with justice, righteousness and wisdom. The fact that long-suffering is exercised when a bad or provocative situation exists shows that it is meant to give opportunity for those involved in the bad situation to change, to straighten up. When matters come to a point where it is seen that there is no hope of such change, justice and righteousness would be violated if long-suffering should continue. Then God acts in wisdom to remove the bad situation. His patience runs out.

An example of this forebearance on God’s part and of its coming to an end is found in God’s dealing with men by means of his spirit. Before the Flood, a deplorable condition existed, and God said: