Jonah Chapter 3 Part 1

JONAH was the most ancient of all the prophets whose writings have come down to us. He is supposed to have prophesied in the latter end of Jehu’s or the beginning of Jehoahaz’s reign

The author of the book is Jonah. His name (הָונֹי Yonah) means “dove.” Yahshua Messiah mentions Jonah, and the account of this book, as true history (Mat 12:39-41).

The book of Jonah was written to Israel to show that Yahweh’s grace and mercy extends to Gentiles, even those whom Israel regards as their evil enemies.

In this study we will begin in Chapter 3. 

In the last chapter we saw Jonah being spit or vomited up onto dry land by the great fish. In this Chapter 3 we are going to see that the people of Nineveh instantly accept Jonah. This would certainly seem odd for a heathen Pagan city, if we did not understand that the Ninevites worshiped a fish-headed god name 'Dagon'. Side note if you look and the headdress of the Catholic Pope and bishops you will notice the Dagon fish like hat that they wear! So to the Ninevites this man Jonah, who claimed to speak for Yahweh, and whom was delivered unto them by an immense fish, must be a Divine sign. The Ninevites took to Jonah and his message like a fish takes to water. But seriously, if they worshiped a fish god, and this man was delivered (sent) to them by a fish, they would almost worship him, and would most certainly heed any warning he delivered. Perhaps this was Almighty Yahweh's plan all along.

2    great city = Not good, but this word 'great' in the Hebrew is 'gadowl'; Hebrew word #1419, and it means: massive, proud, disrespectful, and of old.

3   great city of three days' journey = Not three days from where Jonah was, but this was a form of measure in those days. What this is saying is that the city was so large that it was three days walk to go around its outer walls. Three day's journey was approximately sixty miles around. Quite a large city for those days and in [4:11] we see that Nineveh had six score thousand inhabitants (120,000).

4   began to enter into the city a day's journey = Jonah walked 20 miles into the heart of the city. 

cried = Proclaimed (same word used for 'preach' in verse 2).  

forty = In Biblical numeric's, the number forty represents probation, and Nineveh had just about exhausted Yahweh's patience, their probation from destruction was ending in forty days. 

overthrown = Destroyed. This is Hebrew word #2015: 'haphak', and it is the identical word used of Yahweh's destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah [Gen 19:24-25]. The Ninevites may have been aware of the 'legend' of Yahweh's judgment and destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

5    believed = Believed the proclamation of their impending doom, and sought to atone to Yahweh wherein they might be spared. 

 proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth = A sign of mourning and repentance 

from the greatest. . . = Everyone in Nineveh heeded Yahweh's words through Jonah, and they all participated in the offering of repentance to the Lord.

Jonah’s message had an extraordinary effect upon the people in Nineveh. They understood that Yahweh had sent Jonah to declare this message on Yahweh’s behalf. So they gave careful attention to what Jonah was saying. They believed that Yahweh had made his judgment against them. They had just 40 days until the time when they, and their great city, would suffer a terrible punishment. In that punishment, they would lose their lives and everything that they possessed.

Join me as we go Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse, Unraveling the Words of Yahweh!

Have any questions? Feel free to email me; keitner2024@outlook.com