A sympathetic awareness of another’s suffering or adversity coupled with a desire to alleviate it. One of the Hebrew words conveying the sense of compassion is the verb cha·malʹ, which means “feel (show or have) compassion; spare.” (Ex 2:6; Mal 3:17; Jer 50:14) The Greek verb oi·kteiʹro means “show compassion,” while the noun oi·ktir·mosʹ describes the inner feeling of compassion, or tender mercy. (Ro 9:15; 12:1; 2Co 1:3; Php 2:1; Col 3:12; Heb 10:28) The Greek word splagʹkhna (intestines) may have the sense of tender compassions.​—1Jo 3:17.

The most outstanding example of compassion is Jehovah himself. This is well illustrated in his dealings with the Israelites. He not only keenly felt for them during their distresses in Egypt but finally rescued them out of the hands of their oppressors and lovingly cared for them in the wilderness. (Isa 63:7-9) Despite their repeated lapses into unfaithfulness when settled in the Promised Land, he again and again delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, responding to their cries for aid.​—Jg 2:11-19.

Eventually, however, the Israelites reached a point beyond the possibility of repentance. They practiced idolatry on a large scale, bringing idols right into Jehovah’s sanctuary and defiling it. The people continued to mock the prophets and to despise Jehovah’s word. No longer could the Most High be compassionate toward them. So he abandoned them into the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar, fulfilling the judgment announced beforehand through the prophets.​—2Ch 36:15-17; Jer 13:14; 21:7; Eze 5:11; 8:17, 18.

When Not to Be Shown. In imitation of Jehovah, all who have truly come to know him strive to be compassionate. (Eph 4:32–5:1) There are, however, times when compassion is out of place. In the case of persons who persist in sin and set themselves deliberately against Jehovah’s righteous ways, it would be wrong to shield them compassionately from the penalty that their course deserves.​—De 13:6-11; Heb 10:28.

Yielding to pressure to show compassion when it is contrary to God’s will can have serious consequences. This is revealed in what happened to King Saul. The time had come for the execution of divine judgment against the Amalekites, the first people to stage an unprovoked attack on the Israelites after their departure from Egypt. Saul was commanded not to have compassion on them. Giving in to the pressure of his subjects, he did not follow through completely on Jehovah’s command. Therefore, Jehovah rejected Saul from being king. (1Sa 15:2-24) A person’s cultivating deep appreciation for the rightness of Jehovah’s ways and putting loyalty to Him foremost can prevent his erring, as did Saul, and losing divine approval.