The Prophet Jonah: Jonah son of Amittai is mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25 as a prophet during the reign of Jeroboam II of Israel (793-753 BC). He prophesied the restoration of Israel's borders, which came to pass. He was from Gath-hepher in Galilee, making him a northern prophet.
Historical Setting: The book likely takes place during the 8th century BC, a time of relative prosperity for Israel under Jeroboam II, and was written approximately 780 BC. This was before the Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom in 722 BC.
Nineveh: Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire, located on the Tigris River (in modern-day Iraq near Mosul). At its height, it was one of the greatest cities of the ancient world. The Assyrians were known for their extreme brutality in warfare and were Israel's most feared enemy. Archaeological evidence confirms Nineveh's great size and importance.
Why Jonah Fled: Jonah's reluctance was likely rooted in his knowledge of God's merciful character and his fear that God would spare Israel's brutal enemy. The Assyrians had committed terrible atrocities against conquered peoples. Jonah preferred judgment over mercy for Nineveh. His nationalism and desire for vengeance conflicted with God's universal compassion.
Tarshish: Tarshish was likely in the far western Mediterranean (possibly Spain or Sardinia), representing the farthest destination from Nineveh that Jonah could reach. Going to Tarshish was going in the exact opposite direction from God's command.
Historical Repentance: While no extra-biblical record of this specific repentance exists, Assyrian records do show periods of religious fervor and fasting. The book presents a genuine historical moment when God's word reached a pagan empire.
Prophetic Sign: Jesus refers to Jonah as a sign to his generation (Matthew 12:39-41; Luke 11:29-32), connecting Jonah's three days in the fish to his own death and resurrection, and Nineveh's repentance to the judgment awaiting Jesus' contemporaries.
Literary Features: Jonah is unique among prophetic books: it is narrative rather than a collection of oracles, focuses on the prophet's life rather than his message, and shows a prophet resisting God's call. It masterfully uses irony: pagans are more responsive to God than the prophet, and the prophet is saved by what he feared (the sea).
Theme: Running From God's Call
The Divine Commission (1:1-2)
Word of LORD comes to Jonah son of Amittai
Command: Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city
Cry out against it, for their evil has come up before me
Jonah's Disobedience (1:3)
Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD
Went down to Joppa, found a ship going to Tarshish
Paid fare and went on board to go away from the LORD
The Storm at Sea (1:4-6)
LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, mighty tempest
Ship threatened to break up
Sailors afraid, each cried out to his god
Threw cargo into sea to lighten the ship
Jonah had gone down into inner part of ship, fast asleep
Captain woke him: call out to your god, perhaps he will give thought to us
Casting Lots (1:7-10)
Sailors cast lots to know on whose account calamity came
Lot fell on Jonah
They questioned him about his occupation, origin, country, people
Jonah confessed: I am a Hebrew; I fear the LORD, God of heaven, who made sea and dry land
Men were exceedingly afraid: What is this you have done?
Jonah Thrown Overboard (1:11-16)
What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?
Jonah: Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then it will quiet down
I know it is because of me this great tempest has come
Men rowed hard to get back to land but could not
They prayed to LORD: let us not perish for this man's life
Picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea
Sea ceased from its raging
Men feared the LORD exceedingly, offered sacrifice and made vows
The Great Fish (1:17)
LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah
Jonah was in belly of fish three days and three nights
Theme: Cry From the Depths
The Prayer (2:1-9)
Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from belly of fish
I called out to the LORD and he answered me
Out of belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice
You cast me into the deep, into heart of seas
The flood surrounded me, all your waves passed over me
I said: I am driven away from your sight
Yet I shall again look upon your holy temple
Waters closed in over me, weeds wrapped around my head
Went down to land whose bars closed upon me forever
Yet you brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God
When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD
My prayer came to you, into your holy temple
Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love
But I with voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you
What I have vowed I will pay; salvation belongs to the LORD
Deliverance (2:10)
LORD spoke to the fish
It vomited Jonah out upon the dry land
Theme: A City Saved Through Repentance
The Renewed Commission (3:1-3a)
Word of LORD came to Jonah second time
Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it message I tell you
So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to word of LORD
Jonah's Preaching (3:3b-4)
Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth
Jonah began to go into city, going a day's journey
He called out: Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown
Nineveh's Response (3:5-9)
People of Nineveh believed God
They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from greatest to least
Word reached king of Nineveh
He arose from throne, removed robe, covered himself with sackcloth, sat in ashes
Issued proclamation: By decree of king and nobles
Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything
Let man and beast be covered with sackcloth
Let them call out mightily to God
Let everyone turn from his evil way and from violence
Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger
God's Response (3:10)
When God saw what they did, how they turned from evil way
God relented of the disaster he had said he would do to them
He did not do it
Theme: The Heart of a Reluctant Prophet
Jonah's Complaint (4:1-3)
It displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry
He prayed to LORD: O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country?
That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish
For I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful
Slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster
Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me
For it is better for me to die than to live
God's Question (4:4)
LORD said: Do you do well to be angry?
The Plant, Worm, and Wind (4:5-8)
Jonah went out of city and sat to east of city
Made a booth for himself and sat under it in shade
Till he should see what would become of the city
LORD God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah
To save him from his discomfort
Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant
But when dawn came next day, God appointed a worm that attacked plant so it withered
When sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind
Sun beat down on head of Jonah so he was faint
He asked that he might die: It is better for me to die than to live
God's Final Lesson (4:9-11)
God said to Jonah: Do you do well to be angry for the plant?
Jonah: Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die
LORD said: You pity the plant, for which you did not labor
Nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night
And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city
In which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know right hand from left
And also much cattle?
