Jonah Chapter 3

From The Open Bible Project

3:1 The word of Yahweh came to Jonah the second time, saying,

• (a) This is a great declaration of God’s mercy, that he receives him again, and sends him forth as his Prophet, who had before shown such great weakness.

3:2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I give you."

3:3 So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, according to the word of Yahweh. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey across.

3:4 Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried out, and said, "In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!"

• (c) He went forward one day in the city and preached, and so he continued until the city was converted.

3:5 The people of Nineveh believed God; and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

• (d) For he declared that he was a Prophet sent to them from God, to make known his judgments against them.

3:6 The news reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

3:7 He made a proclamation and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, "Let neither man nor animal, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink water;

• (e) Not that the dumb beasts had sinned or could repent, but that by their example man might be astonished, considering that for his sin the anger of God hung over all creatures.

3:8 but let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and animal, and let them cry mightily to God. Yes, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in his hands.

• (f) He exhorted that the men should earnestly call to God for mercy.

3:9 Who knows whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?"

• (g) For partly from the threatening of the prophet, and partly from his own conscience, he doubted whether God would show them mercy.

3:10 God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. God relented of the disaster which he said he would do to them, and he didn't do it.

• (h) That is, the fruits of their repentance, which proceeded from faith, which God had planted by the ministry of his Prophet.