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See also: The Tower of Babel 42–43 ■ Sodom and Gomorrah 48–49 ■ The Ten Commandments 78–83 ■
The Psalms 138–43 ■ The Empty Tomb 268–71WISDOM AND PROPHETS
describes how he has been brought
low, but the power of the Lord will
save him, suggesting he is willing
to do what is commanded of him.
Jonah appears to allude to the
Psalms in the prayer. He includes
the word sheol in Hebrew, which is
typically translated in the Psalms,
and elsewhere, as the grave, or
abode of the dead. Little is known
about the ancient concept of sheol,
but scholars believe it is a place
where the presence of the Lord
cannot be felt.
Jonah ends the prayer by
vowing to reform. Echoing Psalm
3:8, he says: “Salvation comes
from the Lord” (Jonah 2:9). After
this, the fish spits Jonah out.God’s compassion
Chastised by his experience, Jonah
travels to Nineveh, where he fulfills
God’s command. He tells the sinful
Ninevites to repent and prophesies
their destruction. However, when
they do repent, and the Lord
forgives them, Jonah is angry that
God should show mercy to enemies
of Israel and deny his prophecy.
He obstinately sits outside the
city, waiting for its destruction.To teach Jonah a lesson—prophets
are the messengers of the Lord;
they are not supposed to punish or
act independently—God grows a
vine (generally thought to be a
gourd) over Jonah to provide shade
while he waits near Nineveh, but
then commands a worm to eat the
vine, and sends a scorching east
wind so that Jonah grows faint.Jonah is rebuked by God for wanting
to influence what only He controls.Jonah shirks God’s command to preach in Nineveh and flees.He is angry that God is compassionate toward Nineveh.He then asserts his own prophecy and judgment.The disobedience of Jonah
Interpretations of the story of Jonah
For many, it is puzzling to see
a prophet of the Lord being
disobedient and the enemies
of Israel receiving forgiveness.
However, God mentions that all
nations are under the Lord’s
dominion and Ezekiel 21 states
that even Babylon is the tool of
the Lord. In Matthew 12:39–41,
Jesus equates Himself to Jonah:
He applauds that the people of
Nineveh repented, but says that
His work will be greater. Jesusalso mentions that, just as Jonah
was in the fish for three days, He
will be three days and nights “in
the heart of the earth.”
Many readers focus on the
fish, or whale, but what all the
interpretations show is the
centrality of repentance and
forgiveness. In Judaism, Jonah
is read during Yom Kippur (Day
of Atonement) in remembrance of
God’s forgiveness, even to the
enemies of Israel.A 4th-century mosaic in the
Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta,
Aquileia, Italy, shows Jonah resting
under the gourd vine sent by God.Through this act, God both forgives
and punishes Jonah. But Jonah
remains angry. God then says to
Jonah, “Should I not have concern
for the great city of Nineveh, in
which there are more than a
hundred and twenty thousand?”
(4:10). While Jonah believes
salvation should be for the Israelites
alone, God’s mercy extends to all. ■US_166-167_Jonah_was_in_the_belly.indd 167 28/09/17 5:58 pm