LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY

Exegesis of Jonah

Submitted to Dr. Michael Heiser

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of

OBST 520 –B02

Old Testament Orientation II

by

Caleb R. Brown
October 11, 2017
 Introduction

1. Historical Background

Jonah is a historical biographic narrative. The story takes place during the 8th century

B.C. during the reign of King Jeroboam II of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The dates would

be between 793-753 B.C. Jonah would have been a contemporary of Amos as well as Hosea.

2. Prevailing Conditions

The city of Nineveh which is mentioned as a great city (1:2), was in the Assyrian

Empire, northeast of Israel. The Assyrian kingdom had internal dissension that allowed King

Jeroboam II to increase his territory further north. Jonah is told that Nineveh’s “wickedness has

come up before me (the Lord),” and Jonah’s immediate response was to go the opposite direction

(1:2-3).

3. Main Characters

Jonah and the Lord God are the main characters of the story. While running and being

disobedient from the Lord, The God of Israel shows Himself to be sovereign in even using

Jonah’s disobedience to allow pagan worshippers to turn to the true Creator God of Israel before

they throw Jonah into the ocean (1:4-16). After being graciously given a fish to stay inside for

three days rather than drowning, Jonah prays a prayer and is then thrown back onto dry land by

God’s command. The second time God approaches Jonah about Nineveh he responds

immediately and goes there and the whole city repents, even the King.

4. Major Themes- Repentance, Retribution, Divine Justice, God’s Mercy

This response was remarkable, and Jonah was displeased with their response because he

knew God would be gracious to them if they repented. This shows Jonah had a sense of
retribution he felt that the city of Nineveh should have to suffer for. The fact that the King was

in Nineveh represents it must have been the capital, so possibly the whole Assyrian population

and the relevance of their kingdom was at stake. This is another example of the Lord’s

sovereignty as the nation of Israel would be taken into captivity by the Assyrians for their

disobedience in 722 B.C. At the end of the story, God shows Jonah another lesson. God’s

compassion for Nineveh shows that He is the God of all nations, not just Israel. The Major

Argument and theme of the story is Jonah’s God is the God of all nations and peoples, not just

the God of Israel. He is sovereign in whom He shows mercy to.

Jonah Chapter 1

I. Jonah Disobeys the Lord

Jonah is introduced to the reader as a prophet who was given the authority by God to

travel to the “great city” of Nineveh and “cry against it” because of their wicked ways.

However, Jonah does the exact opposite. He disobeys the Lord and actually goes in the opposite

direction.

A. The prophet is commissioned. (1:1-3)

Jonah is mentioned in being a son of Amittai, which would be a descriptor for

Jonah’s identity to the original readers. Another important descriptor to the original

recipients would be Jonah’s commissioning by the Lord. For, “the word of the Lord

came to Jonah” (1:1). What Jonah is told by God is very specific, get up and go to

Nineveh and proclaim the word of God against their actions that the Lord God has

recognized as being “wicked” (1:2). Jonah’s response is surprising. Jonah does rise

up, but he does not go to Nineveh, he goes the opposite direction and flees to
 Tarshish. Yitzakh Berger interestingly mentions that Tarshish is mentioned by

Ezekiel as a distant paradise with abundant wealth and riches.1 Thus, Berger is

inferring that Jonah was perhaps seeking to inhabit this type of Edenic realm that

Ezekiel had described.2 Hannah states, “It is strange that a prophet of God would not

follow God’s command to preach condemnation.”3 Why was it that Jonah reacted

this way? Butler and Andrews state that Judah should be comforted in God’s

willingness to proclaim condemnation on this powerful wicked city.4 However,

Jonah also knew God’s forgiving mercy. It was a mercy that Jonah apparently did not

want the city of Nineveh to receive.

B. Jonah’s sin affects others 1:4-6

Because Jonah disobeyed the Lord, “He hurled a great wind on the sea” causing a

storm. The storm was so bad it caused the ship that Jonah was on nearly fall apart

(1:4). Jonah’s sin has now affected the lives of others. The sailors that Jonah was

with became so frightened they each began to cry out to their gods and even throw

over the cargo that would have been a means for them to economically survive in

their seagoing trade. As the chaos is ensuing above the ship, Jonah is sound asleep

down below (1:5).

C. The sailors find out the reason for the devastating storm 1:6-9

When the captain finds Jonah sleeping, he is astonished and asks how is this

possible? The captain is also concerned for everyone’s life, and maybe the God

1
Yitzhak Berger, Jonah in the Shadows of Eden. (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2016), 4.
2
Ibid.
3
John D. Hannah, “Jonah” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament. John F. Walvord and
Roy B. Zuck, ed. (Colorado Springs: David Cook, 1985), 1465.
4
Butler, Trent. Holman Old Testament Commentary - Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah,
(Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2005), 262.
 of Jonah will perhaps save them (1:6). In the meantime, the sailors are taking

matters into their own hands. They cast lots in order to find out who is

responsible for what seems to them will be their sure demise at the hands of the

storm (1:7). When the lot falls on Jonah, they want to know who he is, where he

is from, and what he is doing there with them (1:8). Jonah responds, “I am a

Hebrew and I fear the Lord God” (1:9). Jonah also mentions that the God he

worships is the one who made the sea and the dry land; or in other words, the only

true God there is, the one that made everything. Jonah is distinguishing his God,

from the many false gods that these sailors worship.

D. The seas are calmed (1:10-14)

The sailors want to know why Jonah was fleeing from God. A fact that is

mentioned because Jonah told them that is what he was doing (1:10). The storm

is getting worse, and the men ask Jonah what they are supposed to do about it

(1:11). Peter Southwell states,

“It is the author's aim to tell his readers that amidst all the superstition and, by
Jewish standards, religious irregularity of such a way of life, the God of Israel,
maker of sea and dry land alike, is sovereign over the affairs of men, and may
attend to their prayers.”5
The sympathetic insight that Southwell points out is that Jonah is attempting to

communicate is evident in the way Jonah responds to the sailors’ in verse 12.

Jonah requests for them to throw him in to the sea, and they would be saved from

the wrath of God on account of his disobedience (1:12). The sailors immediate

response is not throw Jonah over, however. They do their best to row to the land,

5
Peter J. M. Southwell, “Jonah,” in, The Oxford Bible Commentary, John Muddiman and John Barton, eds.
(Oxford: OUP Oxford, 2007), 593.
 “desperately” but the sea was getting worse (1:13). The sailors in their

desperation cry out to the Lord (1:14). Despite Jonah’s admission of guilt, and

even the promise that the waves would stop if Jonah was cast over, the sailors

reveal a care and concern for their Hebrew passenger’s life. In the desperate

attempt to still get to dry land, the sailors know they have to throw Jonah

overboard.

E. The sailors praise the Lord God (1:15-17)

So the sailors threw Jonah into the sea and the storm, “stopped its raging”

(1:15). The sailors response was they feared the Lord and even offered Him

sacrifice and vows (1:16). Jonah is then given a fish to swallow him and he

remains there three days and three nights (1:17). Phillip Cary says that what is

not often noticed is the picture that the story in Jonah presents here.6 That story

being, the picture of Jonah, a prophet and representative of the God of Israel

falling to the depths of destruction in sacrifice for the Gentiles, bestowing upon

them a great blessing.7

6
Cary, Phillip. Jonah. (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2008), 72. Accessed September 30, 2017. ProQuest
Ebook Central.
7
Ibid.
 Jonah Chapter 2

II. Jonah’s Prayer

In Chapter 2, Jonah gives a poetic summary of his prayer to God inside the belly

of a fish, recounting his deliverance. After Jonah’s deliverance he is put back on dry

land after a three day journey.

A. Distress in the sea (2:1-10)

Jonah’s prayer begins in the past tense, “Jonah prayed” (2:1). Cary states,

Jonah is describing both the prayer and the answer in that they already happened. 8

Jonah recounts his call upon the Lord in his moment of distress, how the Lord

heard him when he said to himself that God had expelled him from his sight

because of his disobedience (2:2-3). Jonah’s acknowledgement of his sin and

disobedience causes him to “look again toward Thy Holy Temple” (2:4). In his

circumstances, Jonah recognizes and acknowledges his need to worship the Lord.

Jonah again repeats how dire of a condition he is in, water is encompassed around

him, even weeds are around his head and he is going to die (2:5-6). In his last

moments of life on this earth as Jonah knows it, he still remembers the Lord by

praying to Him. (2:7). Jonah gives thanks in his last moments, not in sacrifice

because he is not able to, but in “thanksgiving” (2:9). Jonah recognizes it is the

Lord who brings salvation, and the Lord commands the fish to put Jonah on dry

land (2:10).

8
Cary, 83.
 Jonah Chapter 3

III. Jonah Obeys

Jonah is recommissioned by the Lord and this time he obeys. Jonah sees the Ninevites

actually convert and believe in God, even the king repents. After seeing their repentant actions,

God withholds destroying the Ninevites.

A. Jonah Commissioned again (3:1-4)

Jonah receives the word of the Lord again and is commanded to go to Nineveh

(3:1-2). This time Jonah obeys. He arises and heads to the “great city” which a three

days walk away (3:3). Jonah proclaims the word of the Lord, it takes a full day to

walk through the great city of Nineveh and tell them of their coming destruction that

will happen in forty days (3:4).

B. Nineveh responds with repentance and mourning for their sin (3:5-9)

The city responds first by believing in God, then actually mourning for

their sin against the Lord by wearing “sackcloth” and even fasting (3:5). Page

and Smith state that this word the strange Hebrew prophet proclaimed spread

through every part of the populace.9 Page and Smith are correct, because even the

King responded in accord with the rest of the populace (3:6). The king even

extended the proclamation of the fast to the livestock (3:7). This response by the

king shows how serious he took not only his, but his peoples sin against the lord.

9
Page, Frank, and Smith, Billy K. New American Commentary Volume 19 B - Amos, Obadiah, Jonah,
(Nashville, TN: B&H, 1995), 242. Accessed October 7, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central.
 There was a willingness to repent and the king was ensuring man and beast

mourned their sin that, “they may turn from his wicked way” (3:8). There was the

hope that the Lord may withdraw His hand from destroying the Ninevites (3:9).

C. God responds (3:10)

The Lord God responds to the Ninevites repentant hearts with compassion and

withholds, “the calamity which he had declared” (3:10). Page and Smith rightly state,

“This passage speaks of the incredible mercy of God’s heart, of His incredible love.”10

IV. Jonah’s displeasure

Jonah is displeased with God’s mercy towards the Ninevites, even rebuking the Lord

in a prayer. As Jonah waits to see what happens to the city, the Lord sets Jonah up for

His explanation.

A. Jonah’s prayer (4:1-4)

Jonah prays again, but this time his prayer is justifying his previous

actions of fleeing to Tarshish because Jonah knew of the Lord’s loving kindness

(4:1-2). Jonah and even requests that his life be taken (4:3). Roop makes an

interesting comment about this. He says, Jonah is not concerned with God’s

compassion for Gentiles, rather Jonah is concerned for God’s compassion despite

Nineveh’s evil.11 The Lord responds to Jonah’s anger (4:4).

10
Page, Frank, and Smith, Billy K. New American Commentary Volume 19 B - Amos, Obadiah, Jonah,
(Nashville, TN: B&H, 1995), 249. Accessed October 7, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central.
11
Roop, 150
 B. The Lord teaches Jonah (4:5-8)

Jonah goes east of the city waiting to see what will happen to it (4:5). Thomas

Bolin notes that Norbert Lohfink argues that this reaction by Jonah bears two of

his common characteristics, “the wordless reply to a question or command and the

presence of the pluperfect sense in perfect verbs which indicate flashbacks in the

story.”12 Even in Jonah’s non-reply, the Lord God provides a plant to shade

Jonah in his discomfort (4:6). However, the next day God made this plant wither

when He sent a worm to destroy it (4:7). Phillip Cary states that the Lord is

setting up a drama for Jonah and the audience needs to get the message.13 The

next verse shows the repeated wish that Jonah desired of himself, that it would be

better that he die (4:8). Again the Lord asks Jonah a question, “Do you have good

reason to be angry?” However, this time the Lord is talking about the plant. This

time Jonah replies, “Yes, even to death” (4:9). Cary states that this message is to

Judah, that she is so angry as to even to want to die when her glory turns to

shame.14

C. God explains His actions (4:9-11)

God explains to Jonah His actions. Again the Lord asks Jonah a question, “Do

you have good reason to be angry?” However, this time the Lord is talking about

the plant. This time Jonah replies, “Yes, even to death” (4:9). Cary states that this

message is to Judah, that she is so angry as to even to want to die when her glory

12
Thomas M. Bolin, Freedom Beyond Forgiveness: The Book of Jonah Re-examined, (London:
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 1997), 152. Accessed October 7, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central.
13
Cary, 142
14
Ibid., 153.
 turns to shame.15 God explains to Jonah, you had compassion on a plant that you

didn’t cause to grow (4:10). Bolin says, that the Lord is teaching Jonah about His

divine compassion, a compassion that is beyond the concept of divine justice that

Jonah narrowly has in mind.16 The Lord further explains to Jonah, He repeats the

theme of the great city that has a vast number of inhabitants that simply did not

know the difference (4:11).

Application 1

Jonah believed that he could somehow run from the Lord’s presence when he was

commanded by the Lord to go to the city of Nineveh and proclaim the word of the Lord against it

(1:1-3). Despite Jonah’s foolish attempt to run from the Lord’s presence, the Lord was not

fooled. The Lord showed up and the consequences of Jonah’s sin now effected the lives of

others (1:4-13). Jonah’s response came at a time when the nation of Israel sought prosperity and

idolatry over being obedient to the Lord. Jonah also resembled the nationalistic view Israel had

concerning the surrounding nations. The grace and mercy that the Lord had shown Israel was

not an attribute of God that Jonah was willing to share with the Ninevites if they were repentant.

It is not possible to run from our sin. When God calls us to do something, our sin and

disobedience has consequences that effect other people as well. We are commanded to preach

the gospel to all nations so that they can receive God’s mercy, not the people that believers in

Christ may judge who are worthy or unworthy to receive it.

15
Ibid., 153.
16
Bolin, 160.
Application 2

Jonah prayed to the Lord in a very dire situation (2:1). Jonah recognized that despite his

circumstances, when all hope was fading he will, “look again toward Thy holy temple” (2:4). In

Jonah’s time, the temple in Jerusalem was a place where the Lord’s presence was made known to

the people of Israel and where they could atone for their sins. No matter what circumstances

and/or dire situation that believers in Christ Jesus may find themselves in, the Lord is always

there to hear our prayers and they are not in vain. We can always give thanks and give honor to

the Lord Jesus, for He is our salvation.

Application 3

Regardless of how long the distance was to Ninevah and how large the city was (3:1),

Jonah fulfilled the task he was called for in proclaiming the word of the Lord to them. The

response of the entire city was to not only believe in God, but a response of mourning over their

sin and repentance to turn from it (3:5-8). The only way the city of Nineveh would have been

able to respond in such a way would be from the words of a prophet such as Jonah. The scratchy

goats hair that was worn by the Ninevites was an action of people in ancient near Eastern

tradition as a sign of mourning. There are consequences to sin, however the consequences to

those who do not hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ to allow them to believe and repent would

mean their eternal destruction. Believers in Christ should always be prepare to share the truth of

the Gospel; to walk unbelievers to the cross that leads to belief and repentance so that the process

may also be repeated to other unbelieving peoples and nations.

Application 4

Jonah was very upset that the Lord showed grace and mercy to the Ninevites (4:1). Jonah

even tried to justify his previous disobedient actions (4:2). Jonah could not and did not want to

understand the reason why the Lord would show mercy to Nineveh, for this was one of Israel’s

neighboring enemies. Christ taught that we are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

Despite the way others treat Christians, believers in Christ should always live peacefully with all

of mankind and ready to show the grace and mercy that Christ Jesus has shown to them as well.
 Bibliography

Berger, Yitzhak. Jonah in the Shadows of Eden. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press,
2016. Accessed September 10, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central.
Bolin, Thomas M. Freedom Beyond Forgiveness: The Book of Jonah Re-examined. London:
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 1997. Accessed October 7, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central.

Butler, Trent, and Max Anders. Holman Old Testament Commentary - Hosea, Joel, Amos,
Obadiah, Jonah, Micah. Nashville: Holman Reference, 2005.

Cary, Phillip. Jonah. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2008. Accessed September 30, 2017.
ProQuest Ebook Central.

Hannah, John D. “Jonah” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament. John F.
Walvord and Roy B. Zuck, ed. Colorado Springs: David Cook, 1985.

Page, Frank, and Smith, Billy K. New American Commentary Volume 19 B - Amos, Obadiah,
Jonah. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group. Accessed October 7, 2017. ProQuest
Ebook Central.

Roop, Eugene F. Ruth, Jonah, Esther. Scottdale, Pa: Herald Press, 2002. eBook Collection
(EBSCOhost), Accessed September 10, 2017.

Southwell, Peter J. M. “Jonah,” in, The Oxford Bible Commentary, John Muddiman and John
Barton, eds. Oxford: OUP Oxford, 2007.