Southern Adventist University

School of Religion

Martin G. Klingbeil
“Is the Book of Jonah Historical?”

Topic paper
presented in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the course
RELB 246 OT Studies II

by
Jarrett Troupe
February 2016
 The story of Yunah (Jonah) is one of world renown. It has been told, retold, interpreted

into numerous languages and appears in several cultures. The narrative, however, contains a very

large amount of supernaturalism, which the critical reader may dismiss as mythology or

fictionalized moral account of a much less spectacular event. The captivating triumph occurring

from sinking into the very depth of reality and overcoming through faith, on many levels, leaves

a lasting impression one may assume only could be crafted carefully by a clever wordsmith. To

assume this position, however, based merely on aspects of the story that appear grandiose does

not fulfill the requirement of research. According to the text, the story is not told as a

spiritualized assessment on the trials of serving Yahuah, rather a true account of rebellion,

rebuke and rededication. Upon combing through a cascade of resources, it was fairly evident

writers utilize aquatic analogy and pun when in reference to Yunah, I intend to refrain, aside

from this once.

Yunah embodies the reluctant spirit of man, exhibited also in other prophets such as

YiramYahu (Jeremiah), by departing after being called of Yahuah. The name Yunah is defined

as ‘dove’1, used 32 instances in the Scriptures, most notably in Barashiyth (Genesis) chapter 8 in

the preceding nautical event of Nuach (Noah). Nuach ‘sent out’ a dove, or yunah, to find land.

The term send out in Hebrew, shalach, also bears significance: it is the term used for ‘apostle’ in

the Bariyth Chadashah (New Testament). The precedence of the dove thus signifies one who is

sent out, in this instance from a ship or sea-vessel. Yunah is thus aptly named, being sent out for

a specific purpose, but instead taking to the seas to escape the responsibility.

1
Strong’s Concordance H:3124 from H:3123
 While being an incredible juxtaposition of two redemption stories, Yunah requires

suspension of assumed natural laws to fully appreciate. Yunah, being swallowed by a giant fish

assumed to be a whale, spent three full days and nights in the bowels of the earth. Interestingly

enough, Yunah likens this bowel of the earth to hell itself, otherwise known as Sheol and the

grave, which is the abode of the dead. Other than these practical issues, many have discovered

historical criticisms. Etan Levine writes on the subject

Despite their once having been a Jonah ben Ammitai, the Book of Jonah was
written much later than his lifetime. Thus, for example, its language betrays the
strong influence of Aramaic, to which the Hebrew language was accommodated
in post-exilic times (i.e. 5th pre-Christian century and afterwards). Furthermore,
the author of the Book of Jonah was totally unfamiliar with Nineveh! Not only are
the dimensions of the city erroneous, but there never was a King of Nineveh. In
fact, only much later, in Persian times, do we have any references to royal decrees
made in consultation with the lords of the court. Similarly, the spectacle of
livestock participating in public facts is a Persian custom too, as correctly
reported by the historian Tacitus.2

If Levine’s judgement of Yunah is correct then the severity of the statement could shake the

foundation of a belief structure. The depiction is in question, however, due to many technical

missteps on the part of Levine. First, the aramaisms found in Yunah are not uncommon in

biblical tradition. The book is not purported to be written by Yunah, rather about him, which

could take place in an extended time range. Further explanation is derived from 2 kings 18:26, in

discussion of the assault on Yarushalum by king Sennacharib of Assyria, of which Nineveh is the

capital, corresponding precisely to the era proceeding Yunah’s prophecy: “Then said Eliakim the

son of HilkYahu, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in

the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Yahudi language in the ears

of the people that are on the wall.”3 The word used as Syrian in the Hebrew is aramith, directly

2
Etan Levine. “Jonah as a Philosophical Book” Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft (1984): p 238.
3
2 Kings 18:26 KJV
indicating that the Yahudim (Jews) understood Aramaic, which in itself is not much different

from Hebrew. Yunah’s life is depicted during the reign of King Yaruboam II of Israel, which

spans from 782-753 BC,4 directly prior to the assault of Sennacharib in 704 BC. The prophecy,

directed to the Assyrians of Nineveh, could easily contain aramaisms and not corrupt its early

dating, just as the king of Assyria would be well fit in its capital, Nineveh. Even the dimensional

aspects are subject to wide interpretation, as the book of Yunah describes the population of the

ancient city at 120,000 and its breadth three days walk. The internal criticisms just do not stand

in a close inspection.

The supernatural criticisms also deserve mention. Why this type of miracle in this

instance, using a giant fish-beast to swallow Yunah and take him to hell, just to spit him out with

a message? Is it possible to live in a giant fish for three days and nights, covered in seaweed?

One possible answer to the strangeness of this miracle is apparent in the Hebrew terminology

utilized. The term describing the beast is ‘dag gadul’ or great fish.5 The correspondence with

Nineveh and ‘the fish’ is tremendous. The Babylonian/Assyrian deity known as Dagon, which is

derived from the Hebrew word dag for fish, was worshipped as a major deity in the land of

Nineveh for centuries. Clay Trumbull writes on the topic:

Prominent among the divinities of ancient Assyria, as shown by the monuments,

was Dagan, a creature, part man and part fish. The divinity was in some instances
represented as an upright figure, with the head of a fish above the head of a man,
the open mouth of the fish forming a miter as the man's sacred head-dress, and the
feet of a man extending below the tail of the fish. In other cases, the body of a
man was at right angles to the conjoined body of a fish. Images of this fish-god
have been found guarding the entrance to palace and temple in the ruins of
Nineveh, and they appear upon ancient Babylonian seals, in a variety of forms.4
The name Dagan is found in the cuneiform inscriptions at an early date. Tiglath-
pileser I. mentions an ancient ruler of Assyria under the name of Ishme-Dagan,
who preceded him by six hundred and forty-one years, which would indicate a
4
2 Kings 14:25 KJV specifically mentions Yunah ben Amittai
5
Jonah 1:17
 period of about 1840 B.C.5 and another Ishme-Dagan, a Babylonian king, lived
still earlier than the Assyrian ruler.6

It is thus seen that the prominent fish deity of the culture is not just addressed in the narrative,

but controlled and conquered. While Scripture doesn’t indicate that Nineveh knew who Yunah

was, or had knowledge of the Hebrew Yahuah, the story itself gives a hint as to the common

ancient understanding of the religious practices in surrounding cultures

Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth
the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was
gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. So the
shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise,
call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. And
they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for
whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon
us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and
of what people art thou? And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear
Yahuah, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. Then were
the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the
men knew that he fled from the presence of Yahuah, because he had told them.7

The men, who are indicated calling on the name of foreign deities, became fearful at discovering

Yunah’s origin and affiliation, the Hebrew Yahuah. The surrounding cultures knew each other’s

deities and practices, as the ancient terrain surrounding the Mediterranean was not an isolated

void, but a mixture. The scripture indicates that during the Babylonian exile, Danial the prophet

was known of by the Babylonian and Persian hierarchies. The Hebrew intrusion into Canaan

would not be ancient history to the surrounding peoples during Yunah’s era as Daud (David) was

conquering Canaanite outposts well into the first millennia BC. Nineveh may have known or

known of Yunah and his Hebrew origin, heeding to the call of a much more powerful deity. The

6
Henry Clay Trumbull. ”Jonah in Nineveh” Journal of Biblical Literature (1892): p 55.
7
Jonah 1:5-10
giant fish utilized in the message to Nineveh was then a necessity, determining the unique

salvation of this generation of Ninevites.

Miracles often seem like the relics of distant lands and past simplicity. Calling on a deity

to make a spectacular deliverance seems as antiquated as the sacrificial system itself, yet still

prescribed as the basis for most of modern culture. The dramatic story of Yunah and Nineveh’s

salvation it is seen has significant precedent and implication; doubts of its authenticity are

unwarranted. Situational precedence renders the denial of the reality in Yunah just as arbitrary as

denying any other biblical account. The sacrifice of the Messiah also mimics the story of Yunah

as Yahusha Mashiach indicates in MattithYahu (Matthew) “A wicked and adulterous generation

seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.”8

Realizing the earth is controlled by Someone multitudes more powerful than oneself is a

sobering reality many refuse. Believers often fall into this stream of thought, spiritualizing

biblical event and creating symbolism from literalism. The danger is critical, as the message is

supernatural a denial of this supernaturalism is a denial of Him that initiated it. The believer is

called to ‘believe the scriptures’, not rationalize them in order to fit a presupposed paradigm. The

practical story of a man, fear and redemption is seen along with Yahuah’s supernatural ability

and wisdom; one does not need to be sacrificed for the other. Classic interpretation displays

prophesy, power, and purpose as well as an allegorical call for believers to…believe. Yunah, the

dove, is the example for all shalachim or sent ones of yesterday and today.

8
Matthew 16:4 KJV
 Works Cited

James, King. 2003. The Holy Bible: Authorized King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Levine, Etan. 1984. "Jonah as a Philosophical Book." Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft
(Walter de Gruyter) 235-245.

Strong, James. 1890. The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. McClean: Macdonald Publishing
Company.

Trumbull, Henry Clay. 1893. "Jonah in Nineveh." Journal of Biblical Literature (Society of Biblical
Literature) 11 (1): 53-60.