Jonah 1:1-3

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jonah 1:1-3

Observe, 1. The honour God put upon Jonah, in giving him a commission to go and prophesy against Nineveh. Jonah signifies a dove, a proper name for all God's prophets, all his people, who ought to be harmless as doves, and to mourn as doves for the sins and calamities of the land. His father's name was Amittai?My truth; for God's prophets should be sons of truth. To him the word of the Lord came?to him it was (so the word signifies), for God's word is a real thing; men's words are but wind,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:1

Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai ,.... Or, "and the word of the Lord was" F12 ויהי "et fuit", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius; "factum fuit", Piscator. ; not that this is to be considered as connected with something the prophet had on his mind and in his thoughts when he began to write this book; or as a part detached from a prophecy not now extant; for it is no unusual thing with the Hebrews to begin books after this manner, especially historical ones, of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:2

Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city ,.... That is, arise from the place where he was, and leave the business he was about, and prepare for a long journey to the place mentioned, and be as expeditious in it as possible. Nineveh was the metropolis of the Assyrian empire at this time; it was an ancient city built by Ashur, not by Nimrod; though he by some is said to go into Ashur or Assyria, and build it, Genesis 10:11 ; and called it after the name of his son Ninus; for it signifies the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:3

But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord ,.... He was not obedient to the heavenly vision; he rose up, but not to go to Nineveh, but to Tarshish, the reverse of it; to the sea, as the Targum, the Mediterranean sea, which lay west, as Nineveh was to the east. Tarshish sometimes is used for the sea; see Psalm 48:7 ; he determined to go to sea; he did not care where, or to what place he might find a ship bound; or to Tarsus in Cilicia, the birthplace of the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 1:1

Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah - All that is certainly known about this prophet has already been laid before the reader. He was of Gath-hepher, in the tribe of Zebulun, in lower Galilee, Joshua 19:13 ; and he prophesied in the reigns of Jeroboam the Second, and Joash, kings of Israel. Jeroboam came to the throne eight hundred and twenty-three years before the Christian era, and reigned in Samaria forty-one years, 2 Kings 14:23-25 . As a prophet, it is likely that he had but... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 1:2

Go to Nineveh - This was the capital of the Assyrian empire, and one of the most ancient cities of the world, Genesis 10:10 ; and one of the largest, as it was three days' journey in circumference. Ancient writers represent it as oblong; being in length one hundred and fifty stadia, and ninety in breadth, the compass being four hundred and eighty stadia. Now as the stadium is allowed to have been equal to our furlong, eight of which make a mile, this amounts to fifty-four English miles:... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 1:3

To flee unto Tarshish - Some say Tartessus, in Spain, near the straits of Gibraltar, others, Tarsus, in Cilicia; and others, Taprobana, or the island of Ceylon, formerly called Taprobah; and Tabrobavagh in Sanscrit, to the present day. And went down to Joppa - This place is celebrated as that where Andromeda, daughter of Cepheus, was chained to a rock, and exposed to be devoured by a sea-monster, from which she was delivered by the valor of Perseus. It is the nearest port to Jerusalem... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 1:1

Verse 1 As I have before observed, Jonah seems here indirectly to intimate, (9) that he had been previously called to the office of a teacher; for it is the same as though he had said, that he framed this history as a part of his ordinary function. The word of God then was not for the first time communicated to Jonah, when he was sent to Nineveh; but it pleased God, when he was already a Prophet, to employ him among other nations. It might have been then, that he was sent to Nineveh, that the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 1:2

Verse 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, to that great city. Nineveh is called a great city, and not without reason; for it was in circumference, as heathen writers say, 400 stadia: and we shall see that Jonah was three whole days in going through the squares and streets of the city (11). It hence follows, that it was a very large city, and this all allow. Profane writers call it Ninus, and say that it is a name derived from its founder; for it was Ninus, the son of Betas, who built it. But more correct... read more

John Calvin

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

Verse 3 Jonah now relates how he sought hiding-places, that he might withdraw himself from the service of God; not that he deceived himself with such a gross notion, as that he would be no longer under the power of God, after having passed over the sea; but he intended to shun, as it were, the light of the present life, by proceeding to a foreign country. He was, no doubt, not only in a disturbed state of mind, when he formed such a purpose, but was utterly confused. It may be asked, why Jonah... read more

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