Jonah Commentaries

Jonah 1

1:1 Jonah the son of Amittai. Jonah’s name is Heb. for “dove,” while that of his father means “truthful” or “loyal.”

1:2 Arise, go to Nineveh. While other prophets prophesied against Gentile nations, this is the only case of a prophet actually being sent to a foreign nation to deliver God’s message against them. This was for the salvation of that city and for the shame and jealousy of Israel, as well as a rebuke to the reluctance of the Jews to bring Gentiles to the true God. Nineveh, which dates back to Nimrod (Gen. 10:11), was located on the banks of the Tigris River approximately 500 mi. NE of Israel. It was always one of Assyria’s royal cities and for many years served as the capital. The name Nineveh, is thought to derive from “ninus,” i.e., Nimrod, and means the residence of Nimrod or “nunu” (Akkadian for “fish”). The people worshiped the fish goddess Nanshe (the daughter of Ea, the goddess of fresh water) and Dagon the fish god who was represented as half man and half fish. that great city. Nineveh was great both in size (3:3) and in power, exerting significant influence over the Middle East until her destruction by Nebuchadnezzar in 612 B.C. It was possibly the largest city in the world at this time. According to historians, magnificent walls almost 8 mi. long enveloped the inner city, with the rest of the city/district occupying an area with a circumference of some 60 miles. Its population could have approached 600,000 (cf. 4:11). their wickedness has come up before Me. Nineveh was the center of idolatrous worship of Assur and Ishtar. A century later, Nahum pronounced doom upon Assyria for her evil ways and cruelty (Nah. 3), which was carried out by Nebuchadnezzar in 612 B.C.

1:3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish. This is the only recorded instance of a prophet refusing God’s commission (cf. Jer. 20:7–9). The location of Tarshish, known for its wealth (Ps. 72:10; Jer. 10:9; Ezek. 27:12, 25), is uncertain. The Gr. historian Herodotus identified it with Tartessus, a merchant city in southern Spain. The prophet went as far W in the opposite direction as possible, showing his reluctance to bring salvation blessing to Gentiles. from the presence of the LORD. While no one can escape from the LORD’s omnipresence (Ps. 139:7–12), it is thought that the prophet was attempting to flee His manifest presence in the temple at Jerusalem (cf. Gen. 4:16; Jon. 2:4). Joppa. Joppa (today Jaffa), located on the Mediterranean coast near the border of Judah and Samaria, was also the location of Peter’s vision in preparation for his visit to Cornelius, a Gentile (Acts 10).

1:4 a great wind. This is not an ordinary storm, but an extreme one sent (lit. “hurled”) from God. Sailors, accustomed to storms, were afraid of this one (v. 5), a fear which served God’s purpose (cf. Ps. 104:4).

1:7 cast lots. The last resort is to ascertain whose guilt has caused such divine anger. God could reveal His will by controlling the lots, which He did. This method of discernment by casting lots, the exact procedure of which is not known, was not forbidden in Israel (cf. Prov. 16:33; Josh. 7:14ff.; 15:1; 1 Sam. 14:36–45; Acts 1:26).

1:9 I am a Hebrew. Jonah identified himself by the name that Israelites used among Gentiles (cf. 1 Sam. 4:6, 9; 14:11). the God of heaven. This title, in use from earliest times (Gen. 24:3, 7), may have been specifically chosen by Jonah to express the sovereignty of the LORD in contrast to Baal, who was a sky god (cf. 1 Kin. 18:24). Spoken to sailors who were most likely from Phoenicia, the center of Baal worship, the title bears significant weight, especially when coupled with the phrase “who made the sea and the dry land.” This was the appropriate identification when introducing the true and living God to pagans who didn’t have Scripture, but whose reason led them to recognize the fact that there had to be a Creator (cf. Rom. 1:18–23). To begin with creation, as in Acts 14:14–17 and 17:23b–29, was the proper starting point. To evangelize Jews, one can begin with the OT Scripture.

1:11, 12 Unwilling to go to Nineveh and feeling guilty, Jonah was willing to sacrifice himself in an effort to save the lives of others. Apparently, he would rather have died than go to Nineveh.

1:13, 14 Heathen sailors had more concern for one man than Jonah had for tens of thousands in Nineveh. The storm, Jonah’s words, and the lots all indicated to the sailors that the LORD was involved; thus they offered sacrifices to Him and made vows, indicating Jonah had told them more about God than is recorded here.

1:15 the sea ceased. This was similar to Christ’s quieting the storm on the Sea of Galilee (cf. Matt. 8:23–27).

1:17 a great fish. The species of fish is uncertain; the Heb. word for whale is not here employed. God sovereignly prepared (lit. “appointed”) a great fish to rescue Jonah. Apparently Jonah sank into the depth of the sea before the fish swallowed him (cf. 2:3, 5, 6). three days and three nights. See note on Matt. 12:40.

Jonah 2

2:1–9 Jonah acknowledged God’s sovereignty (vv. 1–3) and submitted to it (vv. 4–9).

2:2 Out of the belly of Sheol. The phrase does not necessarily indicate that Jonah actually died. “Sheol” frequently has a hyperbolic meaning in contexts where it denotes a catastrophic condition near death (Ps. 30:3). Later Jonah expressed praise for his deliverance “from the pit,” speaking of his escape from certain death.

2:3 In describing his watery experience, Jonah acknowledged that his circumstances were judgment from the Lord.

2:4 I have been cast out of Your sight. In 1:3, Jonah ran from the LORD’s presence; here he realizes that the Lord has temporarily expelled him.

2:5 my soul. This describes Jonah’s total person—both physically and spiritually (cf. v. 7).

2:9 I have vowed. Jonah found himself in the same position as the mariners: offering sacrifices and making vows (cf. 1:16). In light of 3:1–4, Jonah’s vow could well have been to carry out God’s ministry will for him by preaching in Nineveh (Pss. 50:14; 66:13, 14).

2:10 the LORD spoke. Just as God calls the stars by name (Is. 40:26; cf. Ps. 147:4), so He speaks to His creation in the animal world (cf. Num. 22:28–30). Most likely, Jonah was vomited upon the shore near Joppa.

Jonah 3

3:1, 2 Gracious in giving Jonah a second chance, God again commissioned him to go to Nineveh. Jonah is the only prophet actually sent by God to preach repentance in a foreign land.

3:3 an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey. Lit. “a great city to God,” the text emphasizes not only its size (cf. 1:2) but its importance (cf. 4:11). A metropolitan city the size of Nineveh, with a circumference of about 60 mi., would require 3 days just to get around it. These dimensions are confirmed by historians. Stopping to preach would only add to the time requirement.

3:4 Yet forty days. The time frame may harken back to Moses’ supplication for 40 days and nights at Sinai (Deut. 9:18, 25). Jonah’s message, while short, accomplishes God’s intended purpose.

3:5 the people…believed God. Jonah’s experience with the fish (2:1–10), in light of the Ninevites pagan beliefs (see note on 1:2), certainly gained him an instant hearing. From the divine side, this wholesale repentance was a miraculous work of God. Pagan sailors and a pagan city responded to the reluctant prophet, showing the power of God in spite of the weakness of His servant.

3:6 The king of Nineveh, thought to be either Adad-nirari III (ca. 810–783) or Assurdan III (ca. 772–755), exchanged his royal robes for sackcloth and ashes (cf. Job 42:6; Is. 58:5). Reports of Jonah’s miraculous fish experience may have preceded him to Nineveh, accounting for the swift and widespread receptivity of his message (cf. 1:2). It is generally believed that acid from the fish’s stomach would have bleached Jonah’s face, thus validating the experience.

3:7–9 man nor beast. It was a Persian custom to use animals in mourning ceremonies.

3:10 God saw…God relented. See notes on 2 Sam. 24:16; Jer. 42:10 (cf. Jer. 18:7, 8). The Ninevites truly repented.

Jonah 4

4:1, 2 Jonah, because of his rejection of Gentiles and distaste for their participation in salvation, was displeased at God’s demonstration of mercy towards the Ninevites, thereby displaying the real reason for his original flight to Tarshish. From the very beginning, Jonah had clearly understood the gracious character of God (cf. 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9). He had received pardon, but didn’t want Nineveh to know God’s mercy (cf. a similar attitude in Luke 15:25ff.).

4:3 better…to die than to live! Perhaps Jonah was expressing the reality of breaking his vow (2:9) to God a second time (cf. Num. 30:2; Eccl. 5:1–6).

4:6 a plant. The identity is uncertain, but it possibly could be the fast growing castor oil plant, which in hot climates grows rapidly to give shade with its large leaves.

4:8 vehement east wind. A hot, scorching wind, normally called “sirocco,” blowing off the Arabian desert. The shelter Jonah made for himself (v. 5) would not exclude this “agent” of God’s sovereignty.

4:10, 11 God’s love for the people of Nineveh, whom He had created, is far different from Jonah’s indifference to their damnation and greater than Jonah’s warped concern for a wild plant for which he had done nothing. God was ready to spare Sodom for 10 righteous; how much more a city which includes 120,000 small children, identified as those who cannot discern the right hand from the left (cf. Gen. 18:22, 23). With that many 3 or 4 year old children, it is reasonable to expect a total population in excess of 600,000.