Jonah 3:5-9

5 when the people of Ninveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least.

6 When the news reached the king of Ninveh, he got up from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth and sat in ashes.

7 He then had this proclamation made throughout Ninveh: "By decree of the king and his nobles, no person or animal, herd or flock, is to put anything in his mouth; they are neither to eat nor drink water.

8 They must be covered with sackcloth, both people and animals; and they are to cry out to God with all their might - let each of them turn from his evil way and from the violence they practice.

9 Who knows? Maybe God will change his mind, relent and turn from his fierce anger; and then we won't perish."

Jonah 3:5-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JONAH 3

This chapter gives an account of the renewal of Jonah's message to Nineveh, and of his faithful execution of it, Jon 3:1-4; and of the fruit and effect of it, the conversion of the Ninevites, their faith in God, repentance of their sins, and reformation from them, Jon 3:5-9; and of God's approbation thereof, by revoking the sentence he had pronounced upon them, Jon 3:10.