Jonah 3:1-9

1 Then the LORD spoke his word to Jonah a second time. He said,

2 "Leave at once for the important city, Nineveh. Announce to the people the message I have given you."

3 Jonah immediately went to Nineveh as the LORD told him. Nineveh was a very large city. It took three days to walk through it.

4 Jonah entered the city and walked for about a day. Then he said, "In forty days Nineveh will be destroyed."

5 The people of Nineveh believed God. They decided to fast, and everyone, from the most important to the least important, dressed in sackcloth.

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

7 Then he made this announcement and sent it throughout the city: "This is an order from the king and his nobles: No one is to eat or drink anything. This includes all people, animals, cattle, and sheep.

8 Every person and animal must put on sackcloth. Cry loudly to God for help. Turn from your wicked ways and your acts of violence.

9 Who knows? God may reconsider his plans and turn from his burning anger so that we won't die."

Jonah 3:1-9 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.