Jonah 3 10

Jonah 3:10 kjv

And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

Jonah 3:10 nkjv

Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.

Jonah 3:10 niv

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

Jonah 3:10 esv

When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.

Jonah 3:10 nlt

When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.

Jonah 3 verses

Jonah 3 10 Meaning

Jonah 3:10 reveals God's gracious response to the Ninevites' radical change of heart and action. God observed their genuine repentance – demonstrated by their forsaking their wicked ways. In response, God relented from the calamitous judgment He had declared upon them and did not bring it to pass. This verse underscores God's attribute of mercy, demonstrating His willingness to withhold deserved punishment when people turn from their sins.

Jonah 3 10 Context

Jonah 3:10 concludes the climactic narrative of Nineveh's response to Jonah's prophecy. After Jonah reluctantly preached a dire message of destruction ("Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!"), the entire city, from the king to the common people, responded with extraordinary repentance. They fasted, put on sackcloth, cried out to God earnestly, and crucially, "turned from their evil way and from the violence that was in their hands" (Jon 3:8). This verse marks God's recognition of their deep spiritual transformation and His subsequent decision to withhold the announced judgment. Historically, Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, a formidable and often cruel empire, making their swift, collective repentance and God's mercy towards them a profoundly significant event demonstrating God's universal sovereignty and compassion, challenging any narrow views that limit His grace to Israel alone.

Jonah 3 10 Word analysis

• And God (וַיַּרְא הָאֱלֹהִים - wayyar' hā'ĕlōhîm):

  • God (’ĕlōhîm): The general Hebrew word for God, here referring to Yahweh, emphasizing His transcendent power and authority.
  • saw (rā’āh): Implies not merely optical perception but deep understanding, discernment, and attentive observation. God fully recognized the sincerity of their actions.

• their works (מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם - ma‘ăśêhem):

  • works (ma‘ăśeh): Refers to deeds, actions, or conduct. This signifies visible, tangible evidence of their inner change, not just verbal professions of remorse.

• that they turned (כִּי־שָׁבוּ - kî-šāḇū):

  • turned (šûḇ): A pivotal Hebrew verb meaning to turn, return, or repent. It signifies a complete change of direction, a moral and spiritual reorientation. This turning was genuine and pervasive.

• from their evil way (מִדַּרְכָּם הָרָעָה - miḏarkām hārā‘āh):

  • evil way (derek hārā‘āh): "Way" (derek) means path, conduct, custom. "Evil" (rā‘āh) here denotes moral wickedness, depravity, or active transgression that provoked God's judgment. It emphasizes the concrete ethical transformation they underwent.

• and God repented (וַיִּנָּחֶם הָאֱלֹהִים - wayyinnāḥem hā’ĕlōhîm):

  • repented (nāḥam): This term can mean to grieve, comfort oneself, or relent/change one's mind. When applied to God, it indicates His emotional and volitional response to a change in circumstances (human repentance), resulting in a change in His declared course of action (from judgment to mercy). It does not imply a change in God's immutable character or foreknowledge, but rather His relational freedom and perfect consistency in responding to His creatures' moral choices.

• of the evil (עַל־הָרָעָה - ‘al-hārā‘āh):

  • evil (rā‘āh): Here, 'evil' refers to the calamity, disaster, or punishment that God intended to bring. This highlights the dual meaning of rā‘āh in Hebrew (moral evil and consequent disaster/suffering). God repented of bringing the calamity, not of being evil Himself.

• that he had said (אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר - ’ăšer dibber):

  • said (dibber): Refers to God's authoritative declaration, His spoken word of impending judgment through Jonah.

• that he would do unto them (לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהֶם - la‘ăśôt lāhem):

  • do (‘āśāh): To perform, accomplish. This points to the actual execution of the judgment.

• and he did it not (וְלֹא עָשָׂה - wə-lō’ ‘āśāh):

  • did it not: This decisive phrase confirms that the announced judgment was definitively withheld. God, who is faithful to His word of judgment, is equally faithful to His word of mercy conditioned on repentance.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way: This opening clause establishes the critical link between Nineveh's actions and God's response. It emphasizes that God's decision was based on observed, genuine change in their conduct, specifically their turning away from moral wickedness. God's omniscient perception is a prelude to His merciful intervention.
  • and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not: This crucial phrase highlights God's conditional prophecies and His merciful nature. God's "repentance" signifies a compassionate withdrawal of His intended judgment, showing His preference for life over destruction. It is a powerful affirmation that God's justice is dynamically intertwined with His mercy, allowing His course of action to shift when a people's heart and deeds change.

Jonah 3 10 Bonus section

• The profound impact of Jonah 3:10 lies in its portrayal of conditional prophecy, especially concerning judgment. Unlike certain absolute prophecies (e.g., Christ's first coming), divine warnings of impending destruction frequently carry an implicit condition of human response, particularly repentance. This verse demonstrates that God's announcements are not fatalistic decrees but opportunities for humanity to change course.
• The Ninevites' repentance was truly holistic—it involved king, commoner, and even their livestock. Their turning away from their "evil way and from the violence that was in their hands" suggests that their change was not just spiritual but practical and ethical, a profound societal transformation that merited divine relenting.
• This theological truth about God's responsiveness challenges deterministic views of God's interaction with the world. While God's eternal character (like His love and justice) and ultimate purposes remain steadfast (Mal 3:6; Num 23:19), His specific dealings and judgments in human history are dynamically contingent upon the moral choices of people. God's "repenting" of disaster in Jonah illustrates His covenant faithfulness, demonstrating that He desires mercy over sacrifice, and the salvation of even distant peoples.

Jonah 3 10 Commentary

Jonah 3:10 serves as a theological lynchpin, clarifying the profound nature of God's character. It succinctly presents divine observation leading to divine action. God's "seeing" is a divine cognition of the Ninevites' deep, transformative repentance, manifest in their works, not merely their words or rituals. Their turning from their "evil way" was an active rejection of their wicked conduct. The contentious phrase, "God repented of the evil," is best understood as God relenting from the calamity (not moral evil) He had previously announced. This "repentance" is an anthropomorphism expressing God's freedom and lovingkindness; it's a change in His disposition or declared intention toward His creation in response to His creatures' moral turning, not a change in His essential immutable being or perfect foreknowledge. This verse dramatically showcases that God's declared judgments are often conditional, and His ultimate desire is for repentance leading to reconciliation rather than destruction. It contrasts starkly with pagan deities, who were often thought to be capricious or indifferent, portraying Yahweh as a God who is both perfectly just and overwhelmingly merciful, always open to the cries of a repentant heart.