Jonah
| Jonah | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | Jnh |
| Class. | Old Testament |
| Category | Book of Prophecy |
| Chapters | 4 Chapters |
| Record Related | |
| Writer | Jonah |
| Date (Approx.) | 760 BC |
| Location | Presumed to be Gath-hepher in The Northern Kingdom of Israel[1][2] |
The title “Jonah” comes from the name of the prophet Jonah, who is both the writer and the central figure of the book. It records how the people of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, heard Jonah’s message and repented. Jonah was a prophet who lived and worked in the 8th century BC, during the reign of Jeroboam II, king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.[2] In obedience to God’s command, he proclaimed God’s judgment in the city of Nineveh, where idolatry and wickedness were rampant.
Writer
The writer of this book, Jonah, was the son of Amittai and lived in Gath-hepher. He served as a prophet during the reign of Jeroboam II in the Northern Kingdom of Israel (8th century BC). Just as Jonah had prophesied, Israel regained part of the territory that had once belonged to the kingdoms of David and Solomon, ushering in a period of economic revival and prosperity.[1][2]
Characteristics
The Book of Jonah includes the following notable elements:
- Jonah spent three days inside the belly of a great fish. Because of this, some scholars regard the book of Jonah in the Old Testament as a didactic fable or allegory. However, Jesus referred to Jonah’s experience when answering the Jews who demanded a sign,[3][4] affirming that Jonah’s story was not merely symbolic but possessed the same divine authority as the other Old Testament Scriptures He cited.
- While most Old Testament books focus on the history of the people of Israel, the book of Jonah is unique in that it records how God extended His salvation to a Gentile nation—Assyria—after they repented.
Structure of the Book of Jonah
| Section | Chapter | Content | Main Setting |
| Jonah’s Conversion | 1 | Jonah Flees From God and Sets Out for Tarshish | On a ship |
| 2 | Jonah’s Repentance | Inside the belly of a fish | |
| Repentance of the People of Nineveh | 3 | Jonah’s Preaching and the Repentance of 120,000 People in Nineveh | City of Nineveh |
| 4 | Jonah’s Complaint | A hill east of Nineveh |
Jonah Flees From God and Sets Out for Tarshish (Chapter 1)
God commanded Jonah to go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim that their wickedness had come up before Him. However, Jonah tried to flee from God. He went down to Joppa and boarded a ship bound for Tarshish, which lay in the opposite direction—westward, far from Nineveh in the northeast. While Jonah was asleep, a violent storm arose, and the ship was on the verge of breaking apart. The sailors cast lots to determine who was responsible for the calamity, and the lot fell on Jonah. Aware that the storm had come because he had disobeyed God’s command, Jonah told them to throw him into the sea. As the storm grew even more fierce, the sailors finally did as he said—and the sea immediately became calm. Then God prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah remained inside the fish for three days and three nights.
Jonah’s Repentance (Chapter 2)
While inside the belly of the fish, Jonah prayed to God in repentance, and God commanded the fish to vomit him onto dry land.
Jonah’s Preaching and the Repentance of 120,000 People in Nineveh (Chapter 3)
God once again commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh. Nineveh was an enormous city—it took three days to walk through it. When Jonah arrived, he proclaimed the message from God: “In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown.” Then something remarkable happened.
From the king to the common people, men and women, young and old—about 120,000 in all—put on sackcloth and repented, earnestly pleading for God’s mercy. Seeing their sincere repentance, God relented and did not bring upon them the destruction He had threatened.
Jonah’s Complaint (Chapter 4)
Jonah became displeased and angry with God’s decision to spare Nineveh, a city that had been destined for destruction. He went out to the east side of the city and built a shelter for himself, waiting to see what would become of Nineveh. Then God caused a vine (or plant) to grow and provide shade over Jonah to relieve his discomfort. But the next day, God sent a worm that attacked the plant so that it withered. When the sun rose, God also sent a scorching east wind, and the heat made Jonah faint. In his distress, Jonah complained and said that it would be better for him to die. Then God spoke to Jonah:
But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?”
This final message reveals that God’s mercy extends not only to Israel but also to Gentile nations that repent, demonstrating His boundless compassion and perfect justice for all people.