Jonah 3:4

And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. A DAY'S JOURNEY - not going straight forward without stopping: for the city was but eighteen miles in length; but stopping in his progress from time to time to announce his message to the crowds gathering about him. Since the circumference was "three days' journey," Jonah occupied a day in his journey in the city, and at the close of his "day's journey" was at the east side of the city (Jonah 4:5), the opposite to that at which he had entered. He walked through it from end to end, repeating the one dirge-like cry, the more impressive by its monotonous simplicity. "Yet forty days, and Nineveh ... overthrown!" The word [ nehpaaket (H2015)] for "overth...

Jonah here relates what had briefly been said before, — that he went to Nineveh according to the command of God. He shows then how faithfully he executed the duty enjoined on him, and thus obeyed the word of God. Hence Jonah came and began to enter the city and to preach on the first day. This promptness proves clearly how tractable Jonah had become, and how much he endeavored to obey God in discharging his office: for had there been still a timidity in his heart, he would have inspected the city, as careful and timid men are wont to do, who inquire what is the condition of the place, what are the dispositions of the people, and which is the easiest access to them, and what is the best way, and where is the least danger. If Jonah then had been still entangled by carnal thoughts he would have waited two or three days, and then have began to exercise his office as a Prophet. This he did no...

1-4 God employs Jonah again in his service. His making use of us is an evidence of his being at peace with us. Jonah was not disobedient, as he had been. He neither endeavoured to avoid hearing the command, nor declined to obey it. See here the nature of repentance; it is the change of our mind and way, and a return to our work and duty. Also, the benefit of affliction; it brings those back to their place who had deserted it. See the power of Divine grace, for affliction of itself would rather drive men from God, than draw them to him. God's servants must go where he sends them, come when he calls them, and do what he bids them; we must do whatever the word of the Lord commands. Jonah faithfully and boldly delivered his errand. Whether Jonah said more, to show the anger of God against them, or whether he only repeated these words again and again, is not certain, but this was the purport...

Verse Jonah 3:4. _YET FORTY DAYS_] Both the _Septuagint_ and _Arabic_ read _three_ days. Probably some early copyist of the _Septuagint_, from whom our modern editions are derived, mistook the Greek numerals μ _forty_ for γ _three_; or put the _three_ days' _journey_ in preaching instead of the _forty days_ mentioned in the denunciation. One of _Kennicott's_ MSS., instead of ארבעים _arbaim, forty_, has שלשים _sheloshim, thirty_: but the Hebrew text is undoubtedly the true reading; and it is followed by _all_ the ancient versions, the _Septuagint_ and _Vulgate_ excepted. thus God gives them time to _think, reflect, take counsel_, and _return_ to him. Had they only _three days' space_, the denunciation would have so completely confounded them, as to excite nothing but terror, and prevent repentance and conv...

AND JONAH BEGAN TO ENTER THE CITY A DAY’S JOURNEY - Perhaps the day’s journey enabled him to traverse the city from end to end, with his one brief, deep cry of woe; “Yet forty days and Nineveh overthrown.” He prophesied an utter overthrow, a turning it upside down. He does not speak of it as to happen at a time beyond those days. The close of the forty days and the destruction were to be one. He does not say strictly, “Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown,” but, “Yet forty days and Nineveh overthrown.” The last of those forty days was, ere its sun was set, to see Nineveh as a “thing overthrown.” Jonah knew from the first God’s purpose of mercy to Nineveh; he had a further hint of it in the altered commission which he had received. It is perhaps hinted in the word “Yet” . “If God had meant unconditionally to overthrow them, He would have overthrown them without notice. ‘Yet,’ al...

EXPOSITION JONAH 3:1 Part III. JONAH'S PREACHING IN NINEVEH; THE REPENTANCE OF THE NINEVITES. JONAH 3:1 _§ 1. Jonah is sent a second time to Nineveh, and obeys the command._ JONAH 3:1 THE SECOND TIME. He is forgiven and restored to his office, and the commission formerly given is renewed. Commentators have supposed that he went up to Jerusalem to pay his vows, and that the word of the Lord came unto him there. But all unnecessary details are omitted from

AND JONAH BEGAN TO ENTER INTO THE CITY A DAY'S JOURNEY,.... As soon as he came to it, he did not go into an inn, to refresh himself after his wearisome journey; or spend his time in gazing upon the city, and to observe its structure, and the curiosities of it; but immediately sets about his work, and proclaims what he was bid to do; and before he could finish one day's journey, he had no need to proceed any further, the whole city was alarmed with his preaching, was terrified with it, and brought to repentance by it: AND HE CRIED; as he went along; he lifted up his voice like a trumpet, that everyone might hear; he did not mutter it out, as if afraid to deliver his message, but cried aloud in the hearing of all; and very probably now and then made a stop in the streets, where there was a concourse of people, or where more streets met, and there, as a herald, proclaimed what he had to sa...

Jonah 3:1. _And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee._ There is no preaching like that which Gods bids us. The preaching that comes out of our own heads will never go into other men's hearts. If we will keep to the preaching that the Lord bids us, we shall not fail in our ministry. Jonah 3:3. _So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey._ For those times, Nineveh was «an exceeding great city,» but it is far exceeded in size by this modern Nineveh of London. Jonah 3:4. And Jonah began

CHAPTER 3 Jonah Preaching in Nineveh _ 1. The repeated commission and Jonah's obedience (John 3:1) _ 2. The repentance and salvation of Nineveh (John 3:4) John 3:1. And now after Jonah's death and life experience the Word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, telling him to arise and go to Nineveh to preach there what the Lord would command him. And now he is obedient. Jonah arrived in the great city of three days' journey, and advancing a day's journey into it he cried out his message, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” Following is the objection of higher criticism as to this statement: “If we were reading a historical description the narrative would be full of difficulties. A strange proph

JONAH 3. THE NINEVITES REPENT AT THE PREACHING OF JONAH. When the prophet is bidden a second time to carry God's message to Nineveh, he knows that it is useless to disobey. Accordingly he takes the tidings that in forty days Nineveh will be destroyed. So huge was the city that three days would be spent in passing through it. Jonah advances one day's journey into the city and then announces its doom. His message meets with instant belief from the whole of the Ninevites. The king leaves his throne, strips off his royal robes, and sits in sackcloth and ashes. A great fast is proclaimed for man and beast, and all alike are covered in sackcloth. They cry fervently to God, and turn from their evil ways and the violence of their hands, in hope that God will repent of His fierce anger. And in consequence of their penitence they are not destroyed. It was probably a secondary aim of the book to sh...