COMMENT: It doesn't tell us that God said He planned to destroy Nineveh.

3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying his fare, he went aboard to get away from the LORD.

4 The LORD created a great wind that caused a great storm on the sea and the ship was in danger of breaking up. 5 The sailors were afraid and every man called to his god. They threw cargo into the sea to lighten the ship while Jonah, who was below deck, had fallen asleep.

6 The captain approached Jonah and said, "How can you sleep. Get up and call on your god. Perhaps he can keep us from perishing."

COMMENT: Having exhausted his ability to cope with the storm, the captain was looking for any possible solution.

7 The sailors decided to cast lots to determine on whose account this storm had struck them. When the lots had been cast Jonah was selected. 8 So the asked him, "Why did the lot fall on you? What have you done? What is your occupation and where have you come from? What is your country? Who are your people?"

9 Jonah answered, "I am a Hebrew and I fear the LORD God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land." 10 He explained that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD. This made the men very frightened. 11 They asked, "What shall we do with you so that the sea will become calm." The storm seemed, if possible, to be getting even worse. 12 Jonah said, "Throw me into the sea. Then it will become calm, for I am sure that this great storm has come because of me."

13 After Jonah had said this, the men rowed desperately for land, but the sea became even worse and they could make no progress. 14 So the sailors called upon the LORD, earnestly asking Him to not hold it against them for throwing Jonah overboard. 15 Picking Jonah up, they threw him into the sea, and immediately the storm abated. 16 Then the men feared the LORD greatly and they offered a sacrifice to Him and made vows.

17 The LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and he was in its belly for three days and three nights.

Jonah 2 - RWB Paraphrase (10 V)
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Jonah Prays Inside The Fish
1 Jonah prayed to the LORD from the belly of the fish, 2 saying, "I called the LORD from out of my distress, and He answered me. From the depths of the grave I cried, and You heard my cry." 3 "For you cast me into the deep, the very heart of the sea, where its breakers and billows swept over me." 4 "So I said, 'I have been expelled from Your sight. Nevertheless, I will look again toward your holy temple.'" 5 "The waters engulfed me. I was surrounded by the deep, and seaweed was wrapped around my head."

COMMENT: Imagine Jonah's amazement, expecting to be drowned, and ending up in a fish. How dark it must been. Darker than the darkest night. I can imagine him pulling the seaweed from around him, deeply distressed.

6 "I sank to the roots of the mountains. The earth beneath closed me in. But, O LORD, you brought my life up from the pit."

COMMENT: Do you think his ears popped as the fish descended? God was still watching over Jonah.

7 "When my life was ebbing away, I remembered You LORD, and my prayer rose to You in Your holy temple."

COMMENT: No matter where we find ourselves, our prayers can reach God.

8 "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace which could otherwise be theirs." 9 "But I will be thankful to You when I sacrifice. And when I make a vow I will pay it. Salvation comes from You, O LORD."

10 Then the LORD made the fish to vomit Jonah up onto dry land.

Jonah 3 - RWB Paraphrase (10 V)
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Jonah Preaches To Nineveh
1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 "Get up and go to Nineveh the great city. Proclaim to them what I will tell you to say."

COMMENT: So Jonah still doesn't know exactly what he is to tell the people of Nineveh. Maybe his reluctance has something to do with thinking that Nineveh is not worthy of hearing God's message for them. He might have thought that God should only speak to Israel.

3 So Jonah went to Nineveh according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth.

4 Jonah walk for one day through the city crying out, "In forty days Nineveh will be overthrown."

COMMENT: So that was what God told Jonah to say to them.

5 Then it was that the people of Nineveh believed in God. They called a fast, and from the least to the greatest, put on sackcloth.

COMMENT: You would think that Jonah would be pleased at this reaction.

6 When the king of Nineveh heard of this, he arose from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth and sat on ashes. 7 He issued a proclamation, saying, "No man of any rank is to eat anything or drink water. Not even the animals are to eat." 8 "Both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth. Let all men earnestly call on God and turn from their wicked ways and the violence they have been doing." 9 "Who knows? God may relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish."

COMMENT: The king believed Jonah's message, believing that he spoke for God.

10 When God saw that they had turned from their wicked ways, He relented and did not bring the calamity on them that He had intended to bring.

Jonah 4 - RWB Paraphrase (11 V)
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God's Mercy Makes Jonah Angry
1 This caused Jonah to be very angry. 2 He prayed, "Please Lord, wasn't this what I said You would do before I made this trip. This is why I tried to go to Tarshish. I knew You to be gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and of great kindness. I figured You would change your mind about destroying Nineveh."

COMMENT: Jonah could be glad for his own sake that God had these qualities. He evidently didn't think that God should do this for foreigners.

3 "Therefore Lord, please take my life because it is no longer worth living." 4 The LORD said, "Do you have a good reason to be angry?"

5 Jonah went out east of the city where he could sit and watch. He made a shelter and sat in the shade to see what would become of the city. 6 The LORD made a gourd to grow and it provided shade for Jonah's head. By it he was comforted, and it made him very glad. 7 At dawn the next day God appointed a worm to attack the plant and it withered.

COMMENT: God had appointed a fish large enough to swollow Jonah and rescue him from drowning. Now He appoints a little worm to rescue him from his self absorption.

8 When the sun came up God sent a scorching east wind. The sun beat down on Jonah's head so that he became faint and begged to die. He said, "I'd rather die than live."

9 God spoke to Jonah, saying, "Do you have a good reason to be angry about the plant?" Jonah said, "My reason is good enough. I want to die." 10 Then the LORD said, "You had compassion for the plant which you did nothing to make grow. It grew up over night and quickly perished." 11 "Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, a great city with more than 120,000 persons who don't know their right hand from their left. And think of all the cattle."

Chapters: 1 2 3 4