Jonah is book 32 of the 39 books of the Old Testament and belongs to the Minor Prophets section. See how it fits with the rest in our guide to all 66 books of the Bible.
Quick facts
- Section
- Old Testament · Minor Prophets
- Genre
- Narrative: prophetic story
- Author (traditional)
- Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25, though the book tells his story in the third person.
- Other views on authorship
- Most scholars consider the author anonymous and writing well after Jonah's lifetime; some read it as a historical account, others as a teaching story or parable.
- Date (traditional)
- 8th century BC, during the reign of Jeroboam II, about 780–750 BC.
- Other views on dating
- Commonly dated to the post-exilic period, about 500–350 BC, based on language and themes.
- Chapters
- 4
- Verses
- 48
- Reading time
- About 6 minutes (1,225 words in the BSB)
What is Jonah about?
God tells Jonah to go to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, Israel's most feared enemy. Jonah boards a ship heading the opposite way, to Tarshish. A storm hits, the pagan sailors pray harder than the prophet does, and Jonah is thrown overboard, swallowed by a great fish and, after praying from its belly, spat out on dry land.
Given a second chance, Jonah walks into Nineveh with a five-word warning in Hebrew. To everyone's surprise, the whole city, from the king down to the animals, fasts and repents. God relents and does not destroy it.
The last chapter is the real climax. Jonah admits he fled because he knew God was gracious and merciful, and he wanted Nineveh destroyed. God grows a plant to shade him, then takes it away, and asks whether he should not care about a city of 120,000 people. The book ends on that question, leaving readers to answer it.
Outline of Jonah
| ChaptersCh. | Section |
|---|---|
| 1 | Jonah runs He flees toward Tarshish; a storm, the sailors and the great fish. |
| 2 | Jonah prays A psalm of thanksgiving from inside the fish; he is brought to land. |
| 3 | Nineveh repents Jonah preaches, the city turns, and God relents. |
| 4 | Jonah sulks Jonah's anger, the plant and the worm, and God's closing question. |
Key themes
- God's mercy for outsiders. God cares for Israel's enemies too. Both pagan sailors and Ninevites respond to him more readily than his own prophet.
- Running from God. Jonah's flight shows how people resist God's call when it clashes with their prejudices, and how God pursues them anyway.
- Repentance. Nineveh's sincere turning shows that judgment announcements are often invitations to change.
- God's character. Jonah quotes God's own description as gracious, compassionate and abounding in love (Jonah 4:2), but resents it being shown to others.
Key people and places
- Jonah — Reluctant prophet from Gath-hepher in Galilee.
- The sailors — Pagan crew who end up fearing the LORD.
- The king of Nineveh — Leads the city in fasting and repentance.
Places: Joppa, Tarshish, the sea, Nineveh.
Key verses in Jonah
Quoted from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB).
“Jonah, however, got up to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard to sail for Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.”
“Now the LORD had appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish.”
“But I, with the voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You. I will fulfill what I have vowed. Salvation is from the LORD!””
“So he prayed to the LORD, saying, “O LORD, is this not what I said while I was still in my own country? This is why I was so quick to flee toward Tarshish. I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion—One who relents from sending disaster.”
“So should I not care about the great city of Nineveh, which has more than 120,000 people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well?””
How Jonah fits the big story
Jonah is mentioned in 2 Kings 14 as a prophet in the days of Jeroboam II. His mission to Assyria is unusual: most prophets warned Israel, but Jonah is sent to a foreign capital, showing God's concern for all nations promised to Abraham. Nineveh's later return to violence is the subject of Nahum. Jesus spoke of 'the sign of Jonah', comparing Jonah's three days in the fish to his own death and resurrection, and noted that Nineveh repented at Jonah's preaching (Matthew 12). See the full Jonah and the whale story.
How to read Jonah
At 4 chapters a day you can read Jonah in 1 day — in one sitting. Read the four chapters in one sitting and pay closest attention to chapter 4. Ask whether you see yourself more in Jonah or in the Ninevites.