How should the people’s repentance be different from previous attempts in this regard?

The expression our hearts and hands gives us insight into the way their repentance should be shown, in contrast to previous efforts. Literally it means, Let us lift up our hearts to our hands. The interpretations differ:

1. Assuming that to means upon, some suggest the following translation: Let us lift up our hearts upon our hands. This implies that the heart is lifted on the open hands before the face of God, in order to pour it out before him.

2. Another view takes the hands and hearts as raised in the same direction. Raising the hands in prayer was very common among the Israelites (see Exodus 9:33; 1 Kings 8:22; 2 Chronicles 6:13; Ezra 9:5).

Although there might be a difference in these viewpoints, the main thrust is clear. The outward performance of repentance (like the lifting of hands in prayer), should correspond to the inner disposition of the heart. Therefore, the prayerful confession of guilt to which the people are called is not about a purely external form, but paired with the heart.¹ The repentance should be internally motivated and not be external and superficial, as the ritual performances previously were (see Joel 2:13).²