Jonah 3:3-7 ESV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jonah 3:1-4

We have here a further evidence of the reconciliation between God and Jonah, and that it was a thorough reconciliation, though the controversy between them had run high. I. Jonah's commission is renewed and readily obeyed. 1. By this it appears that God was perfectly reconciled to Jonah, that he employed him again in his service; and the commission anew given him was an evidence of the remission of his former disobedience. Among men, it has been justly pleaded that the giving of a commission... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jonah 3:5-10

Here is I. A wonder of divine grace in the repentance and reformation of Nineveh, upon the warning given them of their destruction approaching. Verily I say unto you, we have not found so great an instance of it, no, not in Israel; and it will rise up in judgment against the men of the gospel?generation, and condemn them; for the Ninevites repented at the preaching of Jonas, but behold, a greater than Jonas is here, Matt. 12:41. Nay, it did condemn the impenitence and obstinacy of Israel at... read more

John Gill

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

So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord ,.... He was no longer disobedient to the heavenly vision; being taught by the rod, he acts according to the word; he is now made willing to go on the Lord's errand, and do his business, under the influence of his power and grace; he stands not consulting with the flesh, but immediately arises and sets forward on his journey, as directed and commanded, being rid of that timorous spirit, and those fears, he was before... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 3:4

And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey ,.... As soon as he came to it, he did not go into an inn, to refresh himself after his wearisome journey; or spend his time in gazing upon the city, and to observe its structure, and the curiosities of it; but immediately sets about his work, and proclaims what he was bid to do; and before he could finish one day's journey, he had no need to proceed any further, the whole city was alarmed with his preaching, was terrified with it, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 3:5

So the people of Nineveh believed God ,.... Or "in God" F18 באלהים "in Deum", V. L. : in the word of the Lord, as the Targum; they believed there was a God, and that he, in whose name Jonah came, was the true God; they believed the word the prophet spake was not the word of man, but, the word of God; faith came by hearing the word, which is the spring of true repentance, and the root of all good works. Kimchi and R. Jeshuah, in Aben Ezra, suppose that the men of the ship, in which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 3:6

For word came unto the king of Nineveh ,.... Who was not Sardanapalus, a very dissolute prince, and abandoned to his lusts; but rather Pul, the same that came against Menahem king of Israel, 2 Kings 15:19 , as Bishop Usher F19 Annales Vet. Test. A. M. 3233. Vid. Rollin's Ancient History, vol. 2. p. 30. thinks; to him news were brought that there was such a prophet come into the city, and published such and such things, which met with credit among the people; and that these, of all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 3:7

And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh ,.... By a herald or heralds, sent into the several parts of the city: by the decree of the king and his nobles ; with whom he consulted, and whose advice he took; and who were equally concerned at this news, and very probably were present when word was brought to the king concerning it: saying, let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything ; a very strict and general fast this: abstinence from all food was... read more

Adam Clarke

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

Nineveh was an exceeding great city, of three days' journey - See on Jonah 1:2 ; (note). Strabo says, lib. xvi., πολυ μειζων ην της Βαβυλωνος , "it was much larger than Babylon:" and Ninus, the builder, not only proposed to make it the largest city of the world, but the largest that could be built by man. See Diodor. Sic. Bib. 50:2. And as we find, from the lowest computation, that it was at least fifty-four or sixty English miles in circumference, it would take the prophet three days to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 3:4

Yet forty days - Both the Septuagint and Arabic read three days. Probably some early copyist of the Septuagint, from whom our modern editions are derived, mistook the Greek numerals μ forty for γ three; or put the three days' journey in preaching instead of the forty days mentioned in the denunciation. One of Kennicott's MSS., instead of ארבעים arbaim , forty, has שלשים sheloshim , thirty: but the Hebrew text is undoubtedly the true reading; and it is followed by all the ancient... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 3:5

The people of Nineveh believed God - They had no doubt that the threatening would be fulfilled, unless their speedy conversion prevented it; but, though not expressed, they knew that the threatening was conditional. "The promises and threatenings of God, which are merely personal, either to any particular man or number of men, are always conditional, because the wisdom of God hath thought fit to make these depend on the behavior of men." - Dr. S. Clarke's Sermons, vol. i. Proclaimed a... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jonah 3:1-4

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jonah 3:5-10

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 3:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 3:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 3:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 3:7

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 3:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 3:5

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