Jonah 3:4 NIV

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Jonah 3:4

Jonah 3:4 . And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey That is, he proceeded into the city as far as he could go in a day. And he cried, Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown The threat is express; but there was a reserve with God on condition of repentance. And it must be observed, that in most of the threatenings of God there is a condition expressed or understood. This is the general rule for interpreting all such denunciations, as has been observed in the note on... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Jonah 3:1-10

3:1-4:11 THE NINEVITES’ REPENTANCEJonah’s preaching in Nineveh (3:1-10)God repeated his command to Jonah to go and preach in Nineveh, and this time Jonah obeyed (3:1-3). God’s message was that within forty days Nineveh would, because of its wickedness, be overthrown. The Ninevites, leaders and common people alike, heeded the warning and turned in repentance to God (4-5). The king even issued a decree commanding a moral reformation in the city (6-9). As a result of the Ninevites’ repentance, God... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Jonah 3:4

a = one cried. See note on "preach", Jonah 3:2 . forty. The number of probation. See App-10 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Jonah 3:4

"And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.""Began to enter into the city ..." This says nothing about Jonah's going a whole day's journey into Nineveh and then starting to preach, but points out the fact that as he "started" the day's journey into Nineveh, he began to cry the cry that God gave him. This mention of a "day's journey" in this verse "must not be understood as relating either to the diameter or... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Jonah 3:4

Jonah 3:4. Yet forty days, &c.— In most of the threats of God, there is always a condition expressed or understood. It is expressed Jeremiah 18:8. It is understood in the passage before us. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Jonah 3:4

4. a day's journey—not going straight forward without stopping: for the city was but eighteen miles in length; but stopping in his progress from time to time to announce his message to the crowds gathering about him. Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown—The commission, given indefinitely at his setting out, assumes now on his arrival a definite form, and that severer than before. It is no longer a cry against the sins of Nineveh, but an announcement of its ruin in forty days. This... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Jonah 3:1-4

A. Jonah’s proclamation to the Ninevites 3:1-4God gave Jonah a second chance to obey Him, as He has many of His servants (e.g., Peter, John Mark, et al.). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Jonah 3:4

The traditional view holds that after Jonah arrived at the edge of the city he proceeded into it and began announcing his message during his first day there. [Note: Ellison, "Jonah," p. 381; Keil, 1:405.] Alternatively, he may have done his first day’s preaching to the king and perhaps also to some of the people. The essence of his proclamation was that Nineveh would be overthrown in only 40 days. Periods of testing in Scripture were often 40 days long (cf. Genesis 7:17; Exodus 24:18; 1 Kings... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 3:1-10

Repentance and Pardon of the Ninevites3. An exceeding great city] lit. ’great unto God,’ i.e. regarded as great by God: cp. Genesis 10:1.Of three days’ journey] i.e. in breadth.8. Even the cattle join in the mourning. Neglected by their owners, they fill the air with their groanings. Cp. Joel 1:20, ’The beasts of the field pant unto thee,’ and for an interesting parallel, Judith 4:9-15. The Persians are said, by Herodotus, to have clipped the hair of the horses and baggage animals that they... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Jonah 3:4

(4) And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey.—This is apparently equivalent to And Jonah entered the city, and walked for a day through it. To enter on a minute inquiry as to whether his course was straight or circuitous seems trivial. The writer has no thought of furnishing data for ascertaining the exact dimensions of Nineveh, but only of producing a general sense of its vast size.Yet forty days.—The conciseness of the original, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh overthrown,” forcibly... read more