Jonah 3 2

Jonah 3:2 kjv

Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.

Jonah 3:2 nkjv

"Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you."

Jonah 3:2 niv

"Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you."

Jonah 3:2 esv

"Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you."

Jonah 3:2 nlt

"Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you."

Jonah 3 verses

Jonah 3 2 meaning

Jonah 3:2 records God's renewed command to Jonah, following his miraculous deliverance. It instructs Jonah to "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you." This verse marks a second chance for Jonah to fulfill the prophetic commission he had initially resisted. It highlights God's persistence and steadfast purpose despite human disobedience, redirecting His chosen messenger to the task of proclaiming judgment, which implicitly offers an opportunity for repentance, to the formidable Assyrian capital.

Jonah 3 2 Context

Jonah 3:2 immediately follows the miraculous salvation of Jonah from the belly of the great fish, as described in chapter 2. Chapter 1 details Jonah's initial call from God to preach against Nineveh, his subsequent rebellion by fleeing toward Tarshish, and the storm at sea leading to him being thrown overboard. The first verse of chapter 3 explicitly states, "Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time," making verse 2 the exact reiteration of the original, rejected divine commission (cf. Jonah 1:1-2). This sequence underscores God's persistent grace and unwavering will, offering Jonah a renewed opportunity for obedience. Historically, Nineveh was the powerful capital of Assyria, notorious for its brutality and paganism, representing the chief oppressor of Israel and other nations at the time. Its description as "that great city" is accurate given its vast size and influence in the ancient Near East, highlighting the immense spiritual and physical challenge Jonah faced.

Jonah 3 2 Word analysis

• And arise (וְקוּם, v'qum):

  • From the Hebrew verb qum (קום), meaning "to rise," "stand up," "get up."
  • An imperative command, indicating urgency and a call to immediate action.
  • Significant given Jonah's previous "going down" (Jon 1:3, 5) – symbolically, down into the ship, down to its hold, down into the sea, down into the fish's belly. This "arise" signals a spiritual and physical ascent from his prior state of rebellion and despair.
  • Emphasizes moving from a state of inaction or passive rebellion to active obedience.

• Go (לֵךְ, lekh):

  • From the Hebrew verb halakh (הלך), meaning "to walk," "go," "travel."
  • Another direct imperative, mirroring the command in Jonah 1:2, "Arise, go..."
  • Reinforces the renewed divine imperative and God's persistent purpose for Jonah. The exact same wording as the initial call indicates no change in God's mission, only in Jonah's willingness.

• to Nineveh (אֶל נִינְוֵה, el nin'veh):

  • אל (el): "to," indicating direction.
  • נִינְוֵה (nin'veh): Nineveh, the capital of Assyria.
  • The destination remains unchanged, underscoring God's unwavering intention for the city. It challenges Jonah's initial reluctance to deliver a message to Israel's enemies.

• that great city (הָעִיר הַגְּדוֹלָה, ha'ir ha'gedolah):

  • הָעִיר (ha'ir): "the city" (definite article ha-).
  • הַגְּדוֹלָה (ha'gedolah): "the great" (definite article ha-, feminine singular adjective agreeing with "city").
  • The term "great" is used three times in the book for Nineveh (Jon 1:2, 3:2, 4:11), highlighting its immense size, population, influence, and wickedness in the eyes of the ancient world and potentially its challenge to God's prophet.
  • It implicitly suggests the vast scale of sin and the magnitude of God's concern for even such a place. Its "greatness" might have initially intimidated Jonah, or he may have deemed them undeserving of divine mercy.

• and proclaim (וּקְרָא, u'q'ra):

  • From the Hebrew verb qara (קרא), meaning "to call," "cry out," "proclaim," "read."
  • An imperative command, but more than just speaking. It denotes a public, authoritative, and loud declaration. It's a formal and public utterance, carrying a divine weight.
  • Jonah is not just to deliver information but to announce it with force and conviction. This directly fulfills his role as a prophet.

• to it (אֵלֶיהָ, eleiha):

  • "To her" (feminine singular suffix), referring back to "the city" (Nineveh).
  • Directly specifies the audience for the proclamation.

• the message (אֶת הַקְּרִיאָה, et ha'q'ri'ah):

  • אֶת (et): Direct object marker.
  • הַקְּרִיאָה (ha'q'ri'ah): "the proclamation," "the calling," "the message" (from the same root qara as "proclaim").
  • Refers to the specific message Jonah is to deliver, implying it is already determined by God. It’s not just any message, but the message, specific and authoritative.

• that I tell you (אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי דּוֹבֵר אֵלֶיךָ, asher anochi dover eleykha):

  • אֲשֶׁר (asher): "which," "that."
  • אָנֹכִי (anochi): "I" (emphatic first-person singular pronoun). Emphasizes that the message's origin and authority are divine. This is God's own word.
  • דּוֹבֵר (dover): "am speaking," "will speak," "speak" (present participle or continuous action from davar, "to speak"). Indicates that God is actively giving the message to Jonah.
  • אֵלֶיךָ (eleykha): "to you" (masculine singular suffix). Specifies Jonah as the recipient of God's direct instruction.
  • This phrase highlights that the message is entirely God's, removing any room for Jonah's personal preferences or modifications. It assures Jonah of the divine authority and content of his impending proclamation.

Words-group analysis:

• Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city: This sequence of commands sets the renewed stage for Jonah's mission. The parallelism with Jon 1:2 underlines God's consistency and determination, despite Jonah's previous disobedience. It also highlights the daunting task of going to such a significant and ungodly metropolis. The "greatness" implies both physical size and perhaps a notorious reputation for sin that would typically call for God's judgment rather than an opportunity for repentance.

• and proclaim to it the message that I tell you: This part defines Jonah's exact duty. He is not merely to go, but to "proclaim" (loudly, authoritatively). The "message" is explicitly identified as God's own word ("that I tell you"), underscoring divine authorship and demanding faithful delivery. Jonah's role is thus that of a pure messenger, a conduit for God's sovereign message, not an originator of his own words. This structure ensures the message's authenticity and power, regardless of the messenger's personal feelings or preferences.

Jonah 3 2 Bonus section

• The "Second Time" Theme: The explicit mention in Jonah 3:1 ("Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time") is pivotal. It stands in stark contrast to God's customary judgment against unfaithful prophets (e.g., in the cases of false prophets or prophets who disobeyed). This "second time" is an act of sheer divine grace, highlighting God's commitment not only to His plan for Nineveh but also to Jonah himself. It echoes themes of restoration and renewed opportunities found throughout Scripture for those who, like Peter, have faltered.
• Literary Echoes and Foreshadowing: The phrasing "that great city" (הָעִיר הַגְּדוֹלָה) in Hebrew can evoke the greatness of other ancient cities and empires, often tied to their pride and impending judgment, but in Nineveh's case, it also highlights the magnitude of its potential repentance. This foreshadows the surprising extent of Nineveh's responsiveness in chapter 3, which challenges both Jonah's and the audience's assumptions about Gentile salvation.
• The Universality of God's Concern: This command directly counters Jonah's ethnocentric tendencies and foreshadows the broader reach of God's salvation demonstrated powerfully in the New Testament (Acts 10, Gal 3). It presents a direct polemic against the exclusive nationalist theology prevalent in some segments of ancient Israel that God cared only for Israel. God's mercy extends even to the "great city" of a brutal enemy empire, emphasizing His love for all creation and His desire for all to come to repentance.

Jonah 3 2 Commentary

Jonah 3:2 is a profound testament to divine patience, persistent grace, and unwavering purpose. Following Jonah's dramatic, supernatural rescue from the depths of the sea, this verse marks a divine "re-commissioning." The phrasing "Arise, go...and proclaim" is an exact reiteration of the original call in Jonah 1:2, symbolizing that God's plan is not thwarted by human failure. Jonah receives a rare "second chance" to obey. The specificity of "that great city" Nineveh underscores God's concern extends beyond Israel to the Gentile world, even to an oppressive enemy known for its wickedness. Jonah's mandate is simply to deliver "the message that I tell you," emphasizing that the prophetic word is of divine origin and not subject to human editorialization. This highlights God's sovereignty over His word and His selection of imperfect instruments to accomplish His global redemptive and warning purposes. It speaks to the unmerited favor extended to both the prophet and, implicitly, the recipients of the message, demonstrating God's desire for repentance and life even for those who seem least deserving.