Jonah 1:1-3:10

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

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

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jonah 1:1

Now ; or, and . Some have argued from this commencement that the Book of Jonah is a fragment, the continuation of a larger work; but it is a common formulary, linking together revelations and histories, and is continually used in the Old Testament at the beginning of independent works; e.g. Joshua 1:1 ; 1:1 ; 1 Samuel 1:1 ; Esther 1:1 ; Ezekiel 1:1 . Jonah the son of Amittai ( 2 Kings 14:25 ). (See Introduction, § II ) read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jonah 1:1-2

Jonah God's messenger. In these words we have important instruction as to God's messengers. I. THEIR CONTINUITY . The first word of this book is the Hebrew conjunction "and:" " And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah." Thus begin other books of the Old Testament. How significant! The Divine messages stand not alone; they are connected with those sent before. So with the Divine messengers. Did the word of the Lord come to Abraham, Moses, Elijah? And also to Jonah! He shows... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jonah 1:1-2

The call of Jonah. We may fairly identify Jonah, the son of Amittai, with the prophet who preached in Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II . (see 2 Kings 14:23-27 ). His name signifies "a Dove," and it well expressed his mournful and brooding temperament. Amittai means "the Truth of God," and it has been wisely said by a great Puritan divine, "I would that truth were every preacher's father." The narrative is exceedingly simple, and the Hebrew remarkably pure; while the lessons... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jonah 1:1-3

§ 1. Jonah is sent to Nineveh to cry against it; but he tries to avoid the mission, and to this end takes ship to Tarshish. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jonah 1:1-3

A despicable deserter. "God looketh on the heart." And none but God can. It is an obscure and tortuous place—"deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Its chaos and darkness, transparent to the Divine Spirit, are impenetrable to any creature's eye. Even the new heart is not all new. Persistent among the grace germs are bacteria of sin, inseparable and morbific. In Jonah this baneful combination is obvious. He neither loved God supremely nor his neighbour as... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jonah 1:1-3

Jonah's call and flight. "Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying," etc. I. THE MAN . Jonah is introduced without a word of explanation, except (implicitly) that he was a prophet of the Lord. So also Elijah ( 1 Kings 17:1 ). Their previous history is assumed. God's servants are treated as all waiting on him to receive his orders, so that "he says to this one, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, and he cometh?" This is the true idea of servants;... read more

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