Jonah 3:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Jonah 3:5-9

Jonah's successful ministry in Nineveh. With a quick and marvellous success was Jonah's ministry crowned. Doubtless the Ninevites knew how he had sought to escape his mission to them, and all the perilous and miraculous consequences of his flight. This seems clearly implied in our Lord's words, who says that Jonah was "a sign unto the Ninevites." And he only could be this in so far as they were acquainted with his history. He was "a sign" that Jehovah was not to be trifled with. If he, a ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Jonah 3:5

And the people of Nineveh believed God; - strictly, “believed in God.” To “believe in God” expresses more heart-belief, than to “believe God” in itself need convey. To believe God is to believe what God says, to be true; “to believe in” or “on God” expresses not belief only, but that belief resting in God, trusting itself and all its concerns with Him. It combines hope and trust with faith, and love too, since, without love, there cannot be trust. They believed then the preaching of Jonah, and... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Jonah 3:5-6

Jonah 3:5-6. So the people of Nineveh believed God, &c. “The fame,” says Lowth, “of the wonderful works God had wrought for the Jews, was spread over the eastern parts of the world. This might make the Ninevites hearken to a man of that nation, that came to them as sent by God. And it is likely that he gave them an account of the miraculous circumstances which attended his own mission. But, without question, a sense of their own guilt, and their deserving whatever punishment Heaven... 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 3:5

people = men. Hebrew pl of 'enosh . App-14 . believed . Heb Aman . App-69 . God. Hebrew. Elohim . App-4 . proclaimed a fast. Professor Rawlings has shown just at this time Nineveh was in a time of trouble, and Assyrian history was "shrouded in darkness for forty years". Hope was given to all the neighbouring countries which were asserting their independence. This explains the readiness of Nineveh to hearken and obey, as was done on another occasion when the prophet of Nineveh declared it... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Jonah 3:5

"And the people of Nineveh believed God, and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.""The people of Nineveh believed God ..." Actually, the Hebrew text in this would be better translated "believed in God," according to Barnes, who also made the distinction between the two expressions thus:"To believe God means to believe what God says, to be the truth; to believe in God expresses not belief only, but that belief resting and trusting in... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Jonah 3:5

Jonah 3:5. So the people of Nineveh believed God— The fame of the wonderful works which God had wrought for the Jews, was spread over the eastern parts of the world. This might induce the Ninevites to hearken to a man of that nation, who came to them as sent from God; especially as he, doubtless, gave them an account of the miraculous circumstances which attended his mission. But certainly a sense of their own guilt, and of their deserving whatever punishment heaven could inflict, was a... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Jonah 3:5

5. believed God—gave credit to Jonah's message from God; thus recognizing Jehovah as the true God. fast . . . sackcloth—In the East outward actions are often used as symbolical expressions of inward feelings. So fasting and clothing in sackcloth were customary in humiliation. Compare in Ahab's case, parallel to that of Nineveh, both receiving a respite on penitence (1 Kings 21:27; 1 Kings 20:31; 1 Kings 20:32; Joel 1:13). from the greatest . . . to the least—The penitence was not partial, but... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Jonah 3:5

The people repented, apparently after only one day of preaching (Jonah 3:4), because of the message from God that Jonah had brought to them. [Note: See Steven J. Lawson, "The Power of Biblical Preaching: An Expository Study of Jonah 3:1-10," Bibliotheca Sacra 158:631 (July-September 2001):331-46.] Fasting and wearing sackcloth demonstrated self-affliction that reflected an attitude of humility in the ancient Near East (cf. 2 Samuel 3:31; 2 Samuel 3:35; 1 Kings 21:27; Nehemiah 9:1-2; Isaiah... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Jonah 3:5-10

B. The Ninevites’ repentance 3:5-10Jonah’s proclamation moved the Ninevites to humble themselves and seek divine mercy."Although Nineveh was not overturned, it did experience a turn around." [Note: Alexander, p. 121.] read more

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