The thirteen attributes of mercy are alluded to a number of times in the Bible. Found in 3 Moses 32:13-15, and Exodus 34:6-7. According to Kabbalah and Judaism, they tell us how God governs the world.
1. יהוה YHVH: compassion before and after a person sins
2. יהוה YHVH: mighty in compassion to give all creatures according to their needs
3. אל El: God is the ruler over all, God’s mercy sometimes surpasses His own words
4. וםּרח Rachum: merciful: that mankind may not be distressed
5. וןּוחנ VeḤanun: gracious: if mankind is already in distress
6. םּיפא ִארך Erekh Appayim: slow to anger
7. חסד-ורב VeRav Hesed: plenteous in goodness/kindness
8. ואמת VeEmet: plenteous in truth
9. לאלפים חסד נצר Notzer Hesed Laalafim: keeping mercy/ kindness unto thousands
10. עון נשא ׂNoseh Avon: forgiving iniquity
11. ופשע VaFeshah: forgiving transgression
12. הּוחטא VeḤata’ah: forgiving sin
13. ונקה VeNakeh: acquitting or cleansing
We see these attributes mentioned throughout the scriptures. The idea here is that:
1. God loves us knowing we will sin, knowing our flawed nature.
2. God still loves us after we have sinned, He prepared teshuvah knowing that we would fall away and so made a way to return.
3. God is merciful beyond our human comprehension.
4. God is merciful, so we shouldn’t over stress about our flaws, but put our faith in Him.
5. God is good to us, even when we are underserving.
6. God gives us time to see the error of our ways and come home.
7. God gives us greater blessings than we deserve.
8. God never goes back on His word; God keeps all of His promises.
9. God remembers our good deeds and tips the scales in our favor thanks to the mercy of Christ’s Grace.
10. God forgives us, even when we openly rebel against Him, if we will return to Him.
11. God understands that we will unknowingly break His Laws and forgives us of this also.
12. God will always forgive us, He longs for our return home (think of the story of the prodigal son, see Luke 15:11–32).
13. God will wash away our sins, we will be clean as if they never happened; however, if we do not repent there will be consequences.
See 3 Moses 32:13-15, Exodus 34:6-7, Numbers 14:18, Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2, Micah 7:18, Nahum 1:3, Psalms 86:15, 103:8, 145:8, and Nehemiah 9:17.