Book of Jonah chapter 1
1:1-3 Jonah ("Dove") the son of Amittai ("Truth"): Nothing further is known of the prophet's identity except the
reference made to him in 2 Kings 14:25. Nineveh, the ancient capital of the Assyrian Empire,was east of Israel and
located on the eastern bank of the Tigris River. Tarshish was situated westward on the Mediterranean Sea. Jopa,
known later as Jaffa, is located just south of modern-day Tel Aviv.
1:2 Nineveh, an ancient capital city of the Assyrian Empire, was founded by Nimrod (Genesis 10:8-10), but is best
known in the Bible as the place associated with Jonah's ministry (Jonah 3:5-10). Several centuries before Jonah's
preaching mission to the city, Nineveh became one of the royal residences of Assyrian kings. Sennacherib (ruled
705-681 B.C.) made it the capital of the Assyrian Empire to offset the rival capital of Dur-Sharrukin (Khorsabad), built
by his father Sargon II (ruled 722-705 B.C.). He greatly beautified and adorned Nineveh. The splendid temples,
palaces, and fortifications made it the chief city of the empire (2 Kings 19:36). In Sennacherib's day the wall around
Nineveh was 40 to 50 feet high and extended two-and-half miles along the Tigris River and for eight miles around the
inner city, The city wall had 15 main gates, five of which have been excavated. Each of the gates was guarded by
stone statues of bulls. Sennacherib created parks, a botanical garden, and a zoo both inside and outside the walls.
Despite its magnificent splendor, it fell to a coalition of Chaldeans, Medes, and others in 612 B.C., in accordance with
the prophecies of several Old Testament prophets (Nah. 2:10, 13; Zeph 2:13-15).
1:10-14 Cast me forth into the sea (v.12) has been taken by some to indicate his repentance and heroic faith.
However, his statement could well indicate the intensity of his disobedience: he would rather die than repent and go
to Nineveh.
1:17 Prepared indicates "to appoint, ordain, prepare, or order." The idea is one of commission rather than of
creation. The fish was already in existence, but God commissioned it for a specific mission. Great fish (Heb. dag
gadol): Jesus said that is was a sea monster (Gr. ketos, Matt. 12:40). Our Lord's citation ought to lay to rest any
speculation on the historicity of the event.
Book of Jonah chapter 2
2:1-9 Jonah's prayer is poetic in form and has three movements, each beginning with a rehearsal of the prophet's
impossible situation, and each culminating in an expression of his faith in spite of his impossible circumstances. The
first movement is in verses 2-4. The second movement is in verses 5 and 6. The third movement is in verses 7-9.
Book of Jonah chapter 3
3:1-4 City of three days' journey: This expression probably refers to an aggregate of three cities, including Nineveh
itself. The ancient "Assyrian triangle" of cities was spread over some 26 linear miles from Nineveh in the center to
Khorsabad on the north (c 8 mi.) and to the southeast, to Nimrod (c. 18 mi.). The idea of an aggregate city may be
compared to New York City, which consists of five boroughs.
3:10 God repented: God did not change in His ultimate intention toward the Ninevites: rather, they changed in their
attitude toward Him. On the basis of that change, God could deal with them in grace, rather than in judgment as their
failure to repent would have necessitated.
Book of Jonah chapter 4
4:1-4 Displeased…exceedingly and very angry: Jonah still maintains a false Jewish nationalism and hatred of all non-
Jews, especially Assyrians.
4:9-11 Sixscore thousand persons (v.11) The message of Jonah rings out loud and clear: God cares for the
heathen! God will spare no extreme to get His message to them, even when the messenger is deliberately
disobedient. God will marshal His animate and inanimate creation to bring correction to His messenger and fulfill His
purpose for the world. God’s question referring to those that cannot discern between their right and their left hand
has been interpreted as concerning children who had not yet reached the age of moral accountability, or those who
were spiritually ignorant. If the latter is adopted, the 120,000 is doubtless merely a representative guide to the
number of people in greater Nineveh .
Thank you for your participation by reading these biblical lessons. Please pray with me as I make the decision in
downsizing my contact list. God assigned me to this task and only he knows who is appreciative of his word and has
passed it on to someone else in need of it (word of God).