Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Yahweh teaches Jonah that Nineveh deserves to be saved.

II. Photo
Yahweh dries Jonah’s plant: “But the next day at dawn God provided a worm, which attacked the plant so that it withered.”

III. Select Verses    
(the entire chapter)
1-3: This displeased Jonah greatly, and he was grieved. He prayed to the LORD, saying, “O LORD! Isn’t this just what I said when I was still in my own country? That is why I fled beforehand to Tarshish. For I know that You are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in kindness, renouncing punishment. Please, LORD, take my life, for I would rather die than live.”
4-11: The LORD replied, “Are you that deeply grieved?”  Now Jonah had left the city and found a place east of the city. He made a booth there and sat under it in the shade, until he should see what happened to the city.  The LORD God provided a ricinus plant, which grew up over Jonah, to provide shade for his head and save him from discomfort. Jonah was very happy about the plant.  But the next day at dawn God provided a worm, which attacked the plant so that it withered.  And when the sun rose, God provided a sultry east wind; the sun beat down on Jonah’s head, and he became faint. He begged for death, saying, “I would rather die than live.” Then God said to Jonah, “Are you so deeply grieved about the plant?” “Yes,” he replied, “so deeply that I want to die.”  Then the LORD said: “You cared about the plant, which you did not work for and which you did not grow, which appeared overnight and perished overnight.  And should not I care about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not yet know their right hand from their left, and many beasts as well!”

IV. Outline
1-2. Jonah realizes the implications for Israel
3. Jonah asks for death
4-11. God teaches Jonah a lesson

V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
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Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Jonah warns Nineveh of doom, the people repent, and Yahweh forgives them.

II. Photo
The people of Nineveh repent: “By decree of the king and his nobles: No man or beast — of flock or herd — shall taste anything!“ (v. 7)

III. Select Verses    
(the entire chapter)
1-4: The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it what I tell you.” Jonah went at once to Nineveh in accordance with the LORD’s command. Nineveh was an enormously large city a three days’ walk across. Jonah started out and made his way into the city the distance of one day’s walk, and proclaimed: “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”
5-9: The people of Nineveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast, and great and small alike put on sackcloth.  When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth, and sat in ashes.  And he had the word cried through Nineveh: “By decree of the king and his nobles: No man or beast — of flock or herd — shall taste anything! They shall not graze, and they shall not drink water!  They shall be covered with sackcloth — man and beast — and shall cry mightily to God. Let everyone turn back from his evil ways and from the injustice of which he is guilty.  Who knows but that God may turn and relent? He may turn back from His wrath, so that we do not perish.”
10: God saw what they did, how they were turning back from their evil ways. And God renounced the punishment He had planned to bring upon them, and did not carry it out.

IV. Outline
1-2. God repeats his command
3-4. Jonah delivers the message
5-9. The king and people of Nineveh fast and pray
10. God renounces the decree

V. Comment
The city of Nineveh is described in v. 3: “Nineveh was an enormously large city a three days’ walk across.” As Stuart notes, this passage comes up in the discussion about the date and authorship of Jonah: “Solely on the basis of the use of היה “to be” in the past tense in describing Nineveh in 3:3, it has usually been assumed that the narrator had to be someone living after 612, ie, after Nineveh fell to the Babylonians and was destroyed. This dating depends upon taking the sentence in question to read, in essence, “Nineveh was a city . . .,” ie, is a city no longer from the perspective of the narrator and his or her audience. However, if the sentence emphasizes the type of city Nineveh was at the time Jonah visited it, rather than the fact that it was simply a city at all, the matter may be considered differently. That is, we must ask whether the narrator’s object in 3:3 may not be to point out that Nineveh “then” was more important than it is “now,” ie, in the narrator’s lifetime. This would be possible if, for example, (1) Nineveh was no longer the royal residence at the time of the composition of the story; or (2) Nineveh had ceased to be “important to God” (גדולה לאלהים) if that is indeed the sense of the unusual Hebrew wording. Thus even the relative distance of the narrator from the story is impossible to fix with certainty. Besides this, the Hebrew narrative style calls for the past tense regardless of proximity to the events. Thus the importance of the verb in 3:3 is easily overrated.” (432)

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Stuart, Douglas K. Hosea-jonah. Waco, Tex: Word Books, 1987.
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Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Jonah is swallowed by a large fish. After three days, Jonah prays to Yahweh and is brought up to dry land.

II. Photo
Jonah is swallowed: “Yahweh provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah; and Jonah remained in the fish’s belly three days and three nights.” (v. 1)

III. Select Verses    
1:  The LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah; and Jonah remained in the fish’s belly three days and three nights.
4-6: You cast me into the depths, Into the heart of the sea, The floods engulfed me; All Your breakers and billows Swept over me. I thought I was driven away Out of Your sight: Would I ever gaze again Upon Your holy Temple?  The waters closed in over me, The deep engulfed me. Weeds twined around my head.  7
8: When my life was ebbing away, I called the LORD to mind; And my prayer came before You, Into Your holy Temple.
9-10: They who cling to empty folly Forsake their own welfare, But I, with loud thanksgiving, Will sacrifice to You; What I have vowed I will perform. Deliverance is the LORD’s!
11: The LORD commanded the fish, and it spewed Jonah out upon dry land.

IV. Outline

1. Jonah is swallowed by a large fish
2-10. Jonah’s prayer
    2-3a. Introduction
    3b. Account of  trouble, prayer, and salvation
    4. Account of complaint
    5. Account of trust
    6-7a. Account of trouble
    7b-8. Account of prayer and salvation
    9. Lesson
    10. Vow/Thanksgiving
11. Jonah is brought to dry land

V. Comment
Jonah 2 contains a psalm embedded in a narrative. Other examples of this phenomenon are Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 2, David’s thanksgiving in 2 Samuel 22, and Jehoshaphat’s prayer in 2 Chronicles 20:5-12. In terms of structure, Jonah 2 can be classified along the “complaint” and “thanksgiving” spectrum, meaning there is an account of suffering and salvation, an acknowledgement of Yahweh’s ability to save, a vow to sacrifice, and the imprecation of enemies. Below is a chart highlighting the striking parallels between Jonah 2 and the book of Psalms.

Jonah 2	Parallels from Psalms
Jonah 2:3 [2] In my trouble I was crying to the Lord, and he gave me an answer; out of the deepest underworld I sent up a cry, and you gave ear to my voice.	Psa. 118:5 I made my prayer to the Lord in my trouble: and the Lord gave me an answer… Psa. 30:3 [2] O Lord my God, I sent up my cry to you, and you have made me well.
Jonah 2:4 [3] For you have put me down into the deep, into the heart of the sea; and the river was round about me; all your waves and your rolling waters went over me.	Psa. 69:2 [1] …the waters have come in, even to my neck. Psa. 69:3 [2] My feet are deep in the soft earth, where there is no support; I have come into deep waters, the waves are flowing over me.
Jonah 2:5 [4] And I said, I have been sent away from before your eyes; how may I ever again see your holy Temple?	Psa. 31:23 [22] And as for me, I said in my fear, I am cut off from before your eyes… Psa. 26:8 Lord, your house has been dear to me, and the resting-place of your glory.
Jonah 2:6 [5] The waters were circling round me, even to the neck; the deep was about me; the sea-grass was twisted round my head.	Psa. 18:5 [4] The cords of death were round me, and the seas of evil put me in fear. Psa. 18:6 [5] The cords of hell were round me: the nets of death came on me.
Jonah 2:7 [6] I went down to the bases of the mountains; as for the earth, her walls were about me for ever: but you have taken up my life from the underworld, O Lord my God.	Psa. 69:3 [2] My feet are deep in the soft earth, where there is no support; I have come into deep waters, the waves are flowing over me.   Psa. 30:4 [3] O Lord, you have made my soul come again from the underworld…
Jonah 2:8 [7] When my soul in me was overcome, I kept the memory of the Lord: and my prayer came in to you, into your holy Temple.	Psa. 18:6 In my trouble my voice went up to the Lord, and my cry to my God: my voice came to his hearing in his holy Temple, and my prayer came before him, even into his ears.
Jonah 2:9 [8] The worshippers of false gods have given up their only hope.	Psa. 31:6 I am full of hate for those who go after false gods; but my hope is in the Lord.
Jonah 2:10 [9] But I will make an offering to you with the voice of praise; I will give effect to my oaths. Salvation is the Lord’s.	Psa. 116:17 I will give an offering of praise to you, and make my prayer in the name of the Lord.

 

 

Jonah 2	Parallels from Psalms
Jonah 2:3‏ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר קָ֠רָאתִי מִצָּ֥רָה לִ֛י אֶל־יְהוָ֖הוַֽיַּעֲנֵ֑נִי מִבֶּ֧טֶן שְׁא֛וֹל שִׁוַּ֖עְתִּי שָׁמַ֥עְתָּקוֹלִֽי׃	Psa. 118:5 ‏ מִֽן־הַ֭מֵּצַ֥ר קָרָ֣אתִי יָּ֑הּ עָנָ֖נִי בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב יָֽהּ׃ Psa. 30:3‏ ‎ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָ֑י שִׁוַּ֥עְתִּי אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵֽנִי׃
Jonah 2:4 ‏ וַתַּשְׁלִיכֵ֤נִי מְצוּלָה֙ בִּלְבַ֣ב יַמִּ֔ים וְנָהָ֖ריְסֹבְבֵ֑נִי כָּל־מִשְׁבָּרֶ֥יךָ וְגַלֶּ֖יךָ עָלַ֥י עָבָֽרוּ׃	Psa. 69:2‏ הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֤י בָ֖אוּ מַ֣יִם עַד־נָֽפֶשׁ׃ ‎ Psa. 69:3‏ טָבַ֤עְתִּי ׀ בִּיוֵ֣ן מְ֭צוּלָה וְאֵ֣ין מָעֳמָ֑דבָּ֥אתִי בְמַעֲמַקֵּי־מַ֝֗יִם וְשִׁבֹּ֥לֶת שְׁטָפָֽתְנִי׃
‎ ‎Jonah 2:5‏ וַאֲנִ֣י אָמַ֔רְתִּי נִגְרַ֖שְׁתִּי מִנֶּ֣גֶד עֵינֶ֑יךָ אַ֚ךְאוֹסִ֣יף לְהַבִּ֔יט אֶל־הֵיכַ֖ל קָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎Psa. 31:23 ‏ וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ אָ֘מַ֤רְתִּי בְחָפְזִ֗י נִגְרַזְתִּי֮ מִנֶּ֪גֶדעֵ֫ינֶ֥יךָ אָכֵ֗ן שָׁ֭מַעְתָּ ק֥וֹל תַּחֲנוּנַ֗י בְּשַׁוְּעִ֥יאֵלֶֽיךָ׃ Psa. 26:8 ‏ יְֽהוָ֗ה אָ֭הַבְתִּי מְע֣וֹן בֵּיתֶ֑ךָ וּ֝מְק֗וֹםמִשְׁכַּ֥ן כְּבוֹדֶֽךָ׃
‏ Jonah 2:6 אֲפָפ֤וּנִי מַ֙יִם֙ עַד־נֶ֔פֶשׁ תְּה֖וֹם יְסֹבְבֵ֑נִיס֖וּף חָב֥וּשׁ לְרֹאשִֽׁי׃	Psa. 18:5 ‏ אֲפָפ֥וּנִי חֶבְלֵי־מָ֑וֶת וְֽנַחֲלֵ֖י בְלִיַּ֣עַליְבַֽעֲתֽוּנִי׃ ‎Psa. 18:6 ‏ חֶבְלֵ֣י שְׁא֣וֹל סְבָב֑וּנִי קִ֝דְּמ֗וּנִי מ֣וֹקְשֵׁימָֽוֶת׃
Jonah 2:7 ‏ לְקִצְבֵ֤י הָרִים֙ יָרַ֔דְתִּי הָאָ֛רֶץ בְּרִחֶ֥יהָבַעֲדִ֖י לְעוֹלָ֑ם וַתַּ֧עַל מִשַּׁ֛חַת חַיַּ֖י יְהוָ֥האֱלֹהָֽי׃	Psa. 69:3‏ טָבַ֤עְתִּי ׀ בִּיוֵ֣ן מְ֭צוּלָה וְאֵ֣ין מָעֳמָ֑דבָּ֥אתִי בְמַעֲמַקֵּי־מַ֝֗יִם וְשִׁבֹּ֥לֶת שְׁטָפָֽתְנִי׃   Psa. 30:4 ‏ יְֽהוָ֗ה הֶֽעֱלִ֣יתָ מִן־שְׁא֣וֹל נַפְשִׁ֑י חִ֝יִּיתַ֗נִימִיּוֹרְדֵי־[מִ][יָּֽרְדִי]־בֽוֹר׃
Jonah 2:8 ‏ בְּהִתְעַטֵּ֤ף עָלַי֙ נַפְשִׁ֔י אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה זָכָ֑רְתִּיוַתָּב֤וֹא אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ תְּפִלָּתִ֔י אֶל־הֵיכַ֖ל קָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃	Psa. 18:7 ‏ בַּצַּר־לִ֤י ׀ אֶֽקְרָ֣א יְהוָה֮ וְאֶל־אֱלֹהַ֪יאֲשַׁ֫וֵּ֥עַ יִשְׁמַ֣ע מֵהֵיכָל֣וֹ קוֹלִ֑י וְ֝שַׁוְעָתִ֗ילְפָנָ֤יו ׀ תָּב֬וֹא בְאָזְנָֽיו׃
Jonah 2:9 ‏ מְשַׁמְּרִ֖ים הַבְלֵי־שָׁ֑וְא חַסְדָּ֖ם יַעֲזֹֽבוּ׃	Psa. 31:7 ‏ שָׂנֵ֗אתִי הַשֹּׁמְרִ֥ים הַבְלֵי־שָׁ֑וְא וַ֝אֲנִ֗יאֶל־יְהוָ֥ה בָּטָֽחְתִּי׃
Jonah 2:10 ‏ וַאֲנִ֗י בְּק֤וֹל תּוֹדָה֙ אֶזְבְּחָה־לָּ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥רנָדַ֖רְתִּי אֲשַׁלֵּ֑מָה יְשׁוּעָ֖תָה לַיהוָֽה׃	Psa. 116:17‏ לְֽךָ־אֶ֭זְבַּח זֶ֣בַח תּוֹדָ֑ה וּבְשֵׁ֖ם יְהוָ֣האֶקְרָֽא׃ ‎Psa. 116:18‏ נְ֭דָרַי לַיהוָ֣ה אֲשַׁלֵּ֑ם נֶגְדָה־נָּ֝֗אלְכָל־עַמּֽוֹ׃

 

 

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
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Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Yahweh tells Jonah to speak to the wicked city of Nineveh. Jonah flees on a ship but is thrown overboard when the sailors realize that he is the cause for a horrible storm.

II. Photo
Jonah’s ship is in peril: “Yahweh cast a mighty wind upon the sea, and such a great tempest came upon the sea that the ship was in danger of breaking up!” (v. 4)

III. Select Verses    
1-2:  The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai:  Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim judgment upon it; for their wickedness has come before Me.
3-4:  Jonah, however, started out to flee to Tarshish from the LORD’s service. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went aboard to sail with the others to Tarshish, away from the service of the LORD.  But the LORD cast a mighty wind upon the sea, and such a great tempest came upon the sea that the ship was in danger of breaking up.
7-9: The men said to one another, “Let us cast lots and find out on whose account this misfortune has come upon us.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.  They said to him, “Tell us, you who have brought this misfortune upon us, what is your business? Where have you come from? What is your country, and of what people are you?”  “I am a Hebrew,” he replied. “I worship the LORD, the God of Heaven, who made both sea and land.”
11-15: they said to him, “What must we do to you to make the sea calm around us?” For the sea was growing more and more stormy.  He answered, “Heave me overboard, and the sea will calm down for you; for I know that this terrible storm came upon you on my account.” Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to regain the shore, but they could not, for the sea was growing more and more stormy about them.  Then they cried out to the LORD: “Oh, please, LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life. Do not hold us guilty of killing an innocent person! For You, O LORD, by Your will, have brought this about.” And they heaved Jonah overboard, and the sea stopped raging.
16: The men feared the LORD greatly; they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and they made vows.

IV. Outline
1-2. God’s charge to Jonah
3. Jonah tries to flee on a ship
4. God brings a storm
5-6. Jonah does not call out to God
7-10. The lots are cast on Jonah
11-15. The innocent sailors cast Jonah overboard
16. The sailors serve God

V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
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