Jonah 3 3

Jonah 3:3 kjv

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.

Jonah 3:3 nkjv

So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent.

Jonah 3:3 niv

Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it.

Jonah 3:3 esv

So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth.

Jonah 3:3 nlt

This time Jonah obeyed the LORD's command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all.

Jonah 3 verses

Jonah 3 3 Meaning

Jonah 3:3 describes the prophet Jonah's decisive act of obedience in traveling to Nineveh, fulfilling God's direct command. After his previous disobedience and subsequent divine intervention, Jonah now "arose" and "went," demonstrating a rectified spirit of submission. The verse immediately emphasizes the colossal size and significance of Nineveh, describing it as "an exceedingly great city" that would take "a three days' journey in extent" to traverse. This highlights the formidable task awaiting Jonah and, more profoundly, the vast scope of God's concern and mercy, which extends even to this major Gentile power, Israel's historical oppressor.

Jonah 3 3 Context

Jonah 3:3 follows directly after God's second call to Jonah (Jonah 3:1-2), a stark contrast to Jonah's previous act of rebellion (Jonah 1:3). Chapter 2 narrates Jonah's miraculous preservation and repentant prayer from within the belly of the great fish, culminating in God's command for the fish to vomit him out. Thus, Jonah 3:3 represents a critical turning point: the prophet, having experienced divine judgment and grace, finally aligns himself with God's will. Historically, Nineveh was the capital of the powerful and cruel Assyrian Empire, a formidable adversary to Israel. To an Israelite like Jonah, ministering to Nineveh would have been an abhorrent prospect due to deeply ingrained national enmity. This verse therefore sets the stage for a dramatic display of God's universal compassion, reaching even those considered enemies.

Jonah 3 3 Word analysis

• So Jonah arose (וַיָּקָם יֹונָה, vayyāqām yônāh):
  • So: Indicates a direct consequence or shift from previous events, specifically Jonah's deliverance and God's renewed command.
  • arose: The Hebrew verb qum (קוּם) means "to stand up" or "to arise," often denoting a readiness or decision to take action. This powerfully contrasts with Jonah 1:3, where Jonah arose to flee from the Lord's presence. Here, he rises in obedience, signifying a radical change of heart and direction, moving from active rebellion to purposeful submission.
• and went to Nineveh: (וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל־נִינְוֵה, vayyēleḵ ʾel-nînvēh):
  • went: Signifies direct movement and action. There is no recorded hesitation, detour, or second thoughts, indicating full compliance.
  • to Nineveh: The specific, highly significant, and previously shunned destination. This city, the heart of Assyrian power, represented the very antithesis of Jonah's national and religious sympathies, underscoring the completeness of his changed posture towards God's command.
• according to the word of the LORD: (כִּדְבַר יְהוָה, kiḏəvar Yahweh):
  • according to: Emphasizes that Jonah's actions are in conformity with, and in direct response to, a specific divine directive.
  • the word of the LORD: Davar Yahweh signifies an authoritative, active, and potent command originating from Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. This phrase highlights the divine mandate driving Jonah's mission and confirms his renewed understanding that he cannot evade or question God's will. It reiterates the divine initiative and sovereignty behind the entire prophetic commission.
• Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city: (וְנִינְוֵה הָיְתָה עִיר־גְּדוֹלָה לֵאלֹהִים, wənînvēh hāyətâ ʿîr-gəḏôlāh lêʾlōhîm):
  • Now: A transitional particle, shifting focus to describe the recipient of God's message and Jonah's mission.
  • exceedingly great city: This translates the Hebrew idiom gedolah le'Elohim ("great to God" or "great for God"). This construction is a superlative expression in Hebrew, similar to "mountains of God" for incredibly tall mountains or "cedars of God" for magnificent cedars. It means more than just large; it conveys a divinely ordained, incredibly, or extraordinarily vast city. It points to its monumental scale, significance, and importance in God's own estimation, signifying a major population center and perhaps even a hub of global influence, recognized as such by the divine.
• a three days' journey in extent: (מַהֲלַךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים, mahalakh shəlošet yamim):
  • three days' journey: This specific quantification further illustrates Nineveh's immense size. Scholars debate its precise meaning: it could refer to the entire circumference of the city's greater metropolitan area, the time it would take to preach the message comprehensively throughout all its major districts, or the journey time required to cross from one extreme end of its administrative reach to the other. Most interpretations lean towards the time needed for thorough proclamation or movement, underscoring the daunting scope of Jonah's task.
  • in extent: Emphasizes the sprawling, geographical vastness of the city, underscoring the immense scope and scale of God's mercy being extended to its many inhabitants.

• Words-group Analysis:
  • "So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD.": This phrase encapsulates a complete reversal of Jonah's previous disobedience. It highlights God's patience and second chance, and Jonah's final surrender to the divine will. The obedience is not reluctant but direct, emphasized by the repeated phrase "according to the word of the LORD," which stresses the divine initiative and the prophet's re-aligned response.
  • "Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days' journey in extent.": This descriptive section serves multiple purposes: it underscores the immense scale of the mission (a small prophet facing a global metropolis), reveals the breadth of God's compassion (extending to even the feared capital of the Assyrians), and establishes the context for the incredible repentance that follows, making the miracle all the more astounding given the city's vast population and prominence.

Jonah 3 3 Bonus section

The "three days' journey" often sparks discussion regarding the actual size of ancient Nineveh. While archaeological excavations show that the walled city itself was considerably smaller (around 8-10 miles in circumference), the phrase likely encompasses the broader metropolitan area, including suburban settlements, agricultural lands, and dependent villages that constituted Nineveh's extensive influence and population centers. This interpretation aligns with ancient city planning that integrated outlying areas for sustenance and population density. The use of the idiomatic "great to God" or "divinely great" not only denotes immense size but could also imply the city's strategic or theological importance in God's plan, serving as a significant target for a demonstration of His judgment and mercy to the Gentile world. God giving Jonah a second chance underscores a recurring biblical theme: His willingness to extend grace and opportunity for repentance, not only to those who hear His message (like the Ninevites) but also to His servants who initially stumble (like Jonah himself).

Jonah 3 3 Commentary

Jonah 3:3 marks the narrative's turning point, portraying Jonah's radical shift from rebellion to obedience. His former flight to Tarshish is starkly contrasted with his direct ascent to Nineveh, highlighting God's restorative grace and the prophet's repentance. The repetition of "arose" from Jonah 1:3 deliberately underscores this transformation. Crucially, Jonah's action is qualified by "according to the word of the LORD," emphasizing that his movement is a submission to divine authority rather than personal inclination. This illustrates the effective and unstoppable nature of God's command. The subsequent description of Nineveh as "an exceedingly great city, a three days' journey in extent" serves not only to emphasize its monumental physical size but also its significance from God's perspective. The Hebrew idiom "great city to God" reveals divine awareness and concern for this formidable gentile capital, which from an Israelite view was a dreaded adversary. This sets the stage for God to display His universal compassion, demonstrating His love for all peoples, including those considered enemies. This verse exemplifies divine persistence, second chances, and the profound scope of God's mission, challenging human prejudices and limitations on His grace.