Jonah

Reluctant Prophet to Nineveh

8th century BC

Fled from God's call, was swallowed by a great fish, then preached to Nineveh — and pouted when they repented.

“Salvation belongs to the LORD.” — Jonah 2:9

The story of Jonah

Jonah was a prophet who was sent by God to Nineveh, the capital of Israel's enemy, Assyria, to call them to repentance. Instead of obeying, Jonah boarded a ship heading in the opposite direction. A great storm broke out, and Jonah realized he was the cause, leading the sailors to throw him into the sea where he was swallowed by a great fish.

After three days in the fish, Jonah prayed, and the fish vomited him onto dry land. Having learned the hard way that he could not run from God, he finally traveled to Nineveh and delivered God's message. To his surprise, the people repented immediately. When God decided not to destroy the city, Jonah became angry, revealing his own prejudice and lack of compassion for the people he thought didn't deserve God’s mercy.

The Book of Jonah is a powerful story about the wideness of God’s grace. It challenges the reader to look beyond their own biases and realize that God’s love is meant for all nations. The story ends with God questioning Jonah about his lack of concern for the city, leaving it to the reader to consider whether they share Jonah’s narrowness or God’s expansive love for the world.

Key passages

Jonah 1:1–17
Jonah flees from God and is swallowed by a great fish.
Jonah 2:1–10
Jonah prays to God from inside the fish.
Jonah 3:1–10
Jonah goes to Nineveh, and the city repents.
Jonah 4:1–11
Jonah is angry at God's mercy, and God teaches him a lesson.

Key books

Jonah
2 Kings
Matthew

Questions you can ask

“Why did you flee to Tarshish?”
“What was it like inside the fish?”
“Why were you angry that Nineveh repented?”

Common questions

Was the story of Jonah historical?

It is written as a narrative about a historical prophet, and Jesus referred to the sign of Jonah, indicating that His listeners accepted it as a real event.

Why was Jonah reluctant to go to Nineveh?

Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, a nation that was a brutal enemy of Israel, and he did not want them to receive God’s mercy.

What does the book teach about God?

It shows that God’s compassion extends to all people, even those we might consider our enemies, and that His mercy is greater than our prejudices.