Jonah 2:1-10

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. ² And he said:

     “I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction,
     And He answered me.
     “Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
     And You heard my voice.
³     For You cast me into the deep,
     Into the heart of the seas,
     And the floods surrounded me;
     All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.
⁴     Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight;
     Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’
⁵     The waters surrounded me, even to my soul;
     The deep closed around me;
     Weeds were wrapped around my head.
⁶     I went down to the moorings of the mountains;
     The earth with its bars closed behind me forever;
     Yet You have brought up my life from the pit,
     O Lord, my God.
⁷     “When my soul fainted within me,
     I remembered the Lord;
     And my prayer went up to You,
     Into Your holy temple.
⁸     “Those who regard worthless idols
     Forsake their own Mercy.

⁹     But I will sacrifice to You

     With the voice of thanksgiving;
     I will pay what I have vowed.
     Salvation is of the Lord.”
¹⁰ So the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Vs. 1 From the time of His receiving God’s command to go up to Nineveh to the time Jonah went down to Joppa, bordered a ship, and headed west across the Mediterranean Sea in the opposite direction, Jonah never prayed once. Not even when the captain requested his supplications, when he thought all was lost, did Jonah pray. But here in the belly of this great fish, in the midst of the sea, in what was literally a type of death, Jonah prays. Now Jonah is again personally identifying Yahweh as his God.

Vs. 2 Verses two through eight then are Jonah’s prayer from the belly of the great fish that God commanded to swallow him up.

“I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction,

             And He answered me.
            “Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
            And You heard my voice.


Now Jonah cried out to the Lord because of his affliction. No other reason is given. Yet it was while Jonah was being afflicted for his disobedience that God heard him. Indeed the passage says God not only heard him, God answered him. If you search the Psalms this theme of being afflicted for ones transgressions, and then being heard by God when one cries out to Him, is an essential part of how God deals with us (Psalm 22:24-25; 25:15-18; 32:1-6; 38:1-22; 66:10-12; 69:1-36; 85:1-13; 107:1-43 etc.). For God does not chastise or discipline anyone without opportunity for reconciliation. Indeed the whole point of a believers chastisement is that God might keep us in a right relationship with Himself (Consider Heb. 12:3-11). Only when people or nations continually refuse to heed Him does God give them over to judgment (Hosea 7:12; Jer. 30:14; Luke 13:5; Rom. 1:18-36). So when Jonah hardened himself and refused to do the Lord’s will as he was commanded to do. Instead choosing to flee from the presence of the Lord. (Since Jonah did not want to preach repentance to Israel's enemies in Nineveh for then God would spare them if they did indeed repent). And thus Jonah though a prophet, instead of obeying the Will of the Lord, though he clearly knew it. Chose to shut out the Lord's voice and  literally travel as far away from the Lord and Nineveh as he could go. Therefore the Lord as a last resort (to turn Jonah away from the error of his ways) gave Jonah over to what an existence would be like apart from Him. Now Jonah likened being in the belly of the great fish to death. The word Sheol he uses is the Hebrew word for that, where one has conscience existence after being physically dead. Not that Jonah had actually died, but that he likened himself as being as those who are dead. Indeed Jonah’s being in the belly of the great fish is about as close as a living man can get to death without actually experiencing it. Now Jesus likened Jonah’s experience to what His own death would be like when He would taste death for everyone (Matt. 12:40). And spend three days and nights in the heart of the earth, after being crucified for our sins. And thus having purchased our redemption from sin and death (John 3:16). The Lord Jesus Christ now restores each and every believing individual back to life, and union with God, when we repent and believe in Him through the gospel (Mark 1:15). Therefore God had not given Jonah over to the grave, as Jesus would be given over to it. Though Jonah’s experience foretells Christ’s death, as Jesus says it does, it in no way mirror’s it. For Jonah’s taste of “death” is from this side of living; that is the place of utter despair and hopelessness that sadly some men and women experience in this life so that God might mercifully redeem then and restore them to Himself when they repent and cry out to Him (Consider Job 33:12-30). While Jesus’ taste of death was from death itself, which no one who goes to, without having first come to a personal faith in His Person before dying, ever returns.

Vs. 3 Jonah then acknowledges in his prayer and supplications to the Lord, that it is the Lord who has brought him to this grave place:

 “For You cast me into the deep,

              Into the heart of the seas,
              And the floods surrounded me;
             All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.” ^{Vs. 3}


Jonah then was literally shut up on all sides, as Jonah describes his alienation from God. Not a spiritual alienation, Jonah knew God, but a literally one . Now it should be mentioned the Tenor of Jonah’s words is also the tenor of Temple prayer, as recited in psalms (Psalm 42:7; 88:6-8). And thus Jonah returns to Lord according to God’s Word, not his own. Verses two and three then open Jonah’s declaration of the saving mercies of Almighty God. For though He afflicts, He heals and restores people when they repent and return to Him. While Jonah’s declaration of looking towards the Temple in Jerusalem (vs.4) was in the Old covenant economy where God was to be sought. Where sacrifice for the sin was to take place; both for the nation of Israel and God’s people individually. As well where the Gentiles could seek God (1 Kings 8:41-43). Now in the New Covenant we do not look to a Temple when we sin, since God has provided something far better and far more enduring for us. God has commanded that we all look to Jesus Christ’s cross, whether Jew or Gentile, for that is where God has made the finial and everlasting sacrifice for all our sins (Heb. 10:14). God’s mercies are found freely there for all who trust In Jesus Christ and His crucifixion death for the atonement of their sins (John 3:15-16).
Now returning to Jonah's state verse five to seven presents Jonah trapped in the belly of the great fish; a literal watery grave; for the word-translated pit in verse six is being used as a metaphor for Sheol. Thus it presents to the reader a word picture of being literally trapped in the pit of death. Something no one can escape from, for man universally having sinned is destined to it; to never return from it; unless they repent and believe in this life (Mark 1:15). For there is no ressurection life apart from repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ. Now Jonah’s prayer closes with an strong exhortation against idolatry by saying:
"Those who regard worthless idols
Forsake their own Mercy" vs. 8
For God will not give His glory to another (); nor will He be worshiped alongside of any other (). Therefore if you remember no other verse from the Book of Jonah remember that one, for it will take you far with God, and far away from those who worship Him in error. And thus in contrast to the multiplicity of "gods" of this world, Jonah's declaration is singly directed to the One True God who alone is Sovereign over all of His creation, and thus who alone is able to save anyone, from any circumstance of life.

"But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving;
I will pay what I have vowed.
Salvation is of the Lord." vs. 9

"So the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land" vs. 10

Therefore Jonah's prayer/song closes with the bold declaration that salvation is of the Lord. For there is no other God who can deliver us from the grave and the eternal judgment found there (See Rev. 1:18).

Scripture Quotations

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

Jonah 1:4-16

4 But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep. 6 So the captain came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish.” 7 And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, “Please tell us! For whose cause is this trouble upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” 9 So he said to them, “I am a Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”

10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?” For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. 11 Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?”—for the sea was growing more tempestuous. 12 And he said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.” 13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them. 14 Therefore they cried out to the LORD and said, “We pray, O LORD, please do not let us perish for this man’s life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O LORD, have done as it pleased You.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the LORD and took vows.


Now as Jonah’s ship headed in the opposite direction God commanded him to go, so the Lord in His perfect timing responds to Jonah’s move away from Him. "But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up." vs. 4
Notice first that it is the Lord who causes the storm to arise. This was no random act of "nature". This was the direct hand of Almighty God stepping into Jonah's life to stop His servants ongoing disobedience to Himself. Therefore as we will see perils in our lives can be the means by which God draws us to Himself, or back to Himself, as will be the case with Jonah. And so the ships men fearing for their lives; being exceedingly terrified of this mighty tempest that was threatening to destroy the ship and them with it; each one cries out to his “god”, that is their idols, but their “gods” did not lesson the tempest. Which is a lesson for us all now. For whoever or whatever is our "god" now, better be able to save us when our lives storms arise.
The Scripture also says in desperation that the ships crew threw its cargo overboard into the sea to lighten the ship, to keep it from breaking up, and they going down with it. And thus in a last ditch effort to save themselves, the men throw out the ships cargo, and with it any chance they would've had to profit from it. For when it's all said and done, all of one's worldly pursuits and pleasures will mean nothing but suffering eternal loss if one was never reconciled to God through the Lord Jesus Christ in this life. In this Jesus warns us all to examine our lives before Him, in this life, while we can.  36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:36-38
Maybe it's time then to seek the Lord and call upon His Name (Isaiah 55:6-7). For in the Lord Jesus Christ's Name there is salvation from sin, judgment and eternal damnation for all who turn to God and in faith receive Him (John 1:12). "For whoever calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved!" Rom. 10:13

Now in contrast to the ships fearing crew who was discarding the ships cargo in attempt to save themselves. Jonah from the onset had gone down into the depths of the ships hull. "But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep."  vs. 5  Again the same Hebrew word that was twice used in verse three is used here again to describe Jonah’s having gone down. Yet Jonah seems neither worried, nor inclined to seek the Lord at this time, even while the ship and its crew was in peril of being taken by the sea; the cargo already being lost to it. Now this word is also Scripturally used to describe death or going down to the grave. Jonah’s "going down" then was not only bringing him near to it, but also those around him. For secret sins never have secret consequences (Num. 32:23). The idea then that by my sinning "I'm not hurting anyone" as the cliche goes, is never the reality. Sin always has consequences, and it always has ripple affects that inevitably harm others.
Verse six then opens with the ships captain coming to Jonah and saying: …“What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish.” The captain's words then are a stern rebuke to the stubborn prophet who seems bent on having his own way and having nothing to do with the "pagans" whom God wants him to preach too. While verse seven says that the ships men in desperation to find out who amongst them was the cause of this trouble coming upon them, cast lots. For there is a general belief amongst all peoples that troubles in one's life must have an origin: "For affliction does not come from the dust, Nor does trouble spring from the ground" Job 5:6  And thus these men with their lives on the line sought out an answer the only way they knew how by casting lots, an ancient practice, to see who was the cause of this trouble. Now casting lots is also a Biblical means to understanding God's will (1 Chr. 24:31; 25:8; 26:13; Acts 1:26 etc.). However before you start cast lasting lots as a means to discern God's will for you. It should be noted that for us in the church after the selection of Matthias as an Apostle to replace Judas Iscariot there is no more mentioning of casting lots amongst Christ's disciple's. For with the Holy Spirit's outpouring it is now the Spirit of God who sets His seal and approval on those whom Christ has chosen and called (Acts 13:2-3). And thus we as followers of Jesus Christ are to be Spirit led and guided by God; by His Word and His Spirit in our lives, especially regarding church affairs. Though here these men don't yet know God. Yet it was for Jonah whom this storm had arisen. And thus the Lord in His Providence answers them by lot (Prov. 16:33). And so verse seven concludes by saying that the lot fell to Jonah. If Jonah than thought that as a prophet of God he could avoid obeying the will of God to warn the people of Nineveh of God's imminent judgment, and thus avoid being realized by these men as a servant of God, by hiding in the depth’s of a ships hull, he was gravely mistaken. For just as a Christian can no more conceal their true identity in the world, even though they seek to hide themselves in the depths of it, so it is here with Jonah. For what we truly are always comes out (Acts 1:8). And so Jonah once previously unknown to the ships crew, is now at the center stage, with the men asking Jonah: …“Please tell us! For whose cause is this trouble upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” vs. 8

Five questions, in a sort of fearful rapid succession, are now fired off at Jonah by the ships crew.
“For whose cause is this trouble.” Or as the NIV puts it: "Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us?" In other words they are saying to Jonah, what have you done to bring all of this trouble on us? And thus their questioning Jonah is more of an indictment of Jonah's person than an inquiry. Though it's not Jonah's person or character that needs to be called into question. It's his disobedience to the Will of the Lord, which these men are unaware of as of yet.

“What is your occupation?” Probably the most common question men first ask each other, and or use to asses another. Though it is no measure of ones person or character. Consider that Jesus Christ never regarded the "person of man" as if by these the true man, or the truth, would be made known (Matt. 22:16). Therefore whether one is a President or policeman, or even a priest or pastor, one cannot know the nature of the man, or his guilt or innocence regarding anything, simply by his occupation.

“Where do you come from?” Another frequently used question by men to asses another, and or their character. This is especially true where geographic locals or one's socio-economic standing has come to mean that someone has two strikes already against them! However one's stature in life, or anywhere else, never reveals one's character or person. For good and evil men (and women) are found amongst poor and rich, and in low and high places. Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan was given to shatter God's people's unjust biases (Luke 10:29-37).

“What is your country?” Another faulty “character test” which all to often leads to showing partiality, something God does not do (Acts 10:34). For nationalism is not the means by which God's people, or even Godly and righteous people are known. People are not inherently just or unjust simply because they belong to a certain nation (Rom. 3:23). Therefore the Lord Jesus Christ didn't just die for one nation, or to exalt one nation. He was crucified and rose from the dead so that He might gather all nations, people's, tribes, tongues (i.e. languages) to Himself. If you got biases then towards one, or against another, throw them out! For there not fitting the Kingdom of Heaven and it's citizens.

“And of what people are you?” Probably the most discriminatory and useless way to asses a person’s character. This can be anything from ethnicity, to even religious, or non-religious affiliation.

Now in response to their questioning him Jonah responds by saying: “I am a Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” Vs. 9 Jonah’s declaration then is simple and to the point. Not that he is a Jew from a certain religious, social or geographical segment of it. Rather he indeed is a Hebrew who fears the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. Jonah then unequivocally identifies himself with the one true God and nothing else. Now with Jonah’s reply the Scripture says: “Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?” For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.” Vs. 10

Now there are two different words used to describe the crews and Jonah’s fear of God. And though they are linked a distinction in this case should be made. Their fear of God was from a polytheistic outlook; which grew exceedingly as Jonah declared to them that it was his God alone, who made the sea and the dry land, who made this storm arise, a storm that none of their “gods” could quell. Therefore their fear was not only of the storm, or the consequences it presented to their lives, but more directly of the God whom Jonah had offended by His disobedience, which brought these events about. While the word Jonah uses to describe his own fear of the Lord is far more frequently the Word used to describe a relational fear of the Lord, especially in the Psalms (Ps. 22:23, 25; 25:12, 14; 31:19; 33:18; 34:7, 9; 60:4; 61:5; 66:16; 85:9; 103:11, 13, 17; 111:5; 115:11, 13; 118:4; 119:74, 79; 128:1, 4; 135:20; 145:19; 147:11) where it is exclusively used that way. Nonetheless Jonah’s profession of fearing the Lord is seriously marred by his actions in fleeing from the Presence of the Lord; for which he is rebuked by these men. Since it is Jonah’s sin, which has put their very lives in danger. However with Joanh's revelation of Yahweh to them, the men realize if there is any hope for their lives it must be by obedience to Jonah’s God and not their own “gods.” Therefore Jonah’s shipmates ask him: ...“What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?”—for the sea was growing more tempestuous. 12 And he said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.” Vs. 11-12

In the midst of this ferocious storm Jonah’s words must have seemed surreal to them. For to throw a man into the seas raging waters would surely mean his end! Yet the ships crews supplications to their own “god’s” did nothing to calm the sea, and they were now aware that it was Jonah’s God who was the source of their peril. Nonetheless instead of heeding Jonah’s words the Scripture says that the men (likely fearing Jonah's words) rowed hard and tried to make for land. But the “…sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them. 14 Therefore they cried out to the LORD and said, “We pray, O LORD, please do not let us perish for this man’s life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O LORD, have done as it pleased You.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the LORD and took vows. Vs. 13-16

Notice that five times that the men to whom Jonah just revealed the Covenant Name of God too, used that very Covenant Name to appeal to Him! Since these men were in the midst of having a first hand encounter with the Living God they responded as men do who encounter God, with great fear! For when the Eternal God manifests Himself or His Power to mortal man there is always a quickening of one's person and ones obedience towards Him. Now several other things also took place that we should consider. First before they did this God did not relent. The storm continued to rage and grow more tempestuous even after Jonah confessed the name of the Lord. Only when Jonah was thrown into the sea did God cause the storm to cease. Thus not until God's Will was obeyed did the sea cease to rage. Therefore repentance always precedes deliverance. Whether this is an acknowledgement of ones sin, disobedience or even ones own helplessness. Repentance; that is a changing of ones mind, which leads to a changing of ones will, is where God meets us before He ceases our storms. For it is God, in His great love for us, who allows or creates circumstances that cause our own strength, resources or resolve to run out. That is one of the many and great mercies of our Heavenly Father that He draws many to Himself through the many distresses of this life (Ps. 117:23-31). For it is the Lord alone whose Mighty hand saves those who cannot save themselves (Consider Deut. 32:36; Psalm 7:1; 31:2, 16; 44:6; 54:1; 55:16; 57:3; 59:2; 69:1; 71:2, 3; 86:16; 108:6; 109:26; 116:16; 119:94, 146; 138:7; Isaiah 38:20; 45:22).

The second very noticeable thing is that it was the ships mariners who realizing that they could'nt outrun the storm, cry out to the Lord, and pray to the Lord, using the Lord's Covenant Name, not Jonah. Jonah though a prophet of God is noticably silent. Yet they having done all they could do to avoid throwing Jonah into the sea, they were the ones charged to do this through Jonah’s word. And thus they were exceedingly fearful of the Lord charging them with shedding innocent blood for doing so. For truly this was an unorthodox way to bring about a prophets obedience, and their deliverance from the storm. Therefore their petition of the Lord is to not to charge them with innocent blood for what they were about to do; that is throw Jonah into the sea, and thus to a certain death “…for You, O LORD, have done as it pleased You.” Vs. 15

The third thing that that they yielded to will of the Lord, something Jonah had not yet done. Though it might be said that they were coerced into taking that course of action. It was the Lord’s will for them, and they obeyed it, which is never unwise. While Jonah was not yet submitting himself to will of the Lord. He had to have the men throw him into the sea! Jonah though is not unique in his actions. People who know the Lord can refuse to do the will of the Lord. God having granted us all, as His image bearers a free will, makes that a very real possibility. Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ can refuse to do the will of the Lord when God reveals His will to them. Clearly then Jonah presents that attitude here, which again is not unique to him. Nonetheless God’s plans are never thwarted by mans. God always accomplishes His purposes. And He accomplishes them even when His own children disobey Him. Indeed God already knew how Jonah was going to react to His command even before He sent him to preach to Nineveh. And thus these events are not so much a reaction to Jonah’s disobedience, but a anticipation by God, which He Himself weaves into His salvation plans for humanity. And thus they will be used by Him to reveal the future coming of the Son of Man. Therefore God having forced their hands, He will bring Jonah to the place where they can meet and where Jonah's pride can be broken. For truly God (in spite of Jonah's ongoing defiance to His will) provided a fearful and powerful witness for Himself to these men whom Jonah's path had crossed, even while he was trying to flee from the presence of the Lord. And thus the Lord brought about a Witness for Himself and good for others, in that these men had an encounter with the Living God even as His chastening hand was upon Jonah.

Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

Note: This is an ongoing study of the Book of Jonah and it may undergo changes as I edit it. It will chronologically continue in the next blog entry.

Jonah 1:1-3 (Extended Commentary Version)

Jonah 1:1-3
1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.


Vs. 1-2 Jonah was a prophet of God from Gath Hepher; a town in the tribe of Zebulon in Northern Israel during the divided Kingdom era; when King Jeroboam II (793-753 B.C.), an ungodly King (2 Kings 14:24) became king in Samaria, the capital of Northern Kingdom (2 Kings 14:23) and reigned from Tirzah, the former capital, which Jeroboam I reigned from, King Solomon’s servant who became the first king of the ten northern tribes when God divided Israel (1 Kings 11:26-40). Now Jeroboam II aligned himself with the sins of Jeroboam I (1 Kings 12:25-33) just as his father’s before him did (2 Kings 10:31; 13:1-2; 13:10-13). So King Jeroboam II was Israel’s thirteenth king (of the nineteen before their captivity by the Assyrians in 722 B.C.) and he was the great grandson of Jehu; Israel’s commander under king Ahab, the king whose house God said He would destroy forever to avenge the blood of the prophets whom Jezebel his wife murdered. Therefore by the hand of Jehu; whom God foretold through the prophet Elijah that He would do this (1 Kings 19:15-18) raised up during the prophetic ministry of Elisha, Jehu whom He commanded to destroy the house of Ahab forever (2 Kings 9:1-13). And so God raised up Jehu a treacherous man to avenge the treachery done in Israel by the house of Ahab. Now for Jehu’s obedience towards Him in destroying the house of Ahab, and putting an end to Baal worship in Israel. Jehu was promised by God that he and his sons would sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation (2 Kings 10:30). Of which king Jeroboam II was the third (Zechariah would be the fourth and final king in the legacy, 2 Kings 15:11-12). Yet even with that promise Jehu took no heed to follow the Law of the Lord; neither him nor his sons after him (2 Kings 10:29-31). Now back to King Jeroboam II’s reign. The nation of Israel was prospering. His father and grandfather under the prophesying of Elisha had been shown great mercy by the Lord God for the oppression done to the nation by the Syrians (2 Kings 13:14-23). And this grace continued towards the nation down through the lineage of Jehu to King Jeroboam II, right up to the prophesying of Jonah the son of Amittai (2 Kings 14:23-29). Thus King Jeroboam II’s tenure would be one of great prosperity and growth as his military campaigns according to the Word of the Lord caused Northern Israel to reclaim many of its territories back from the Syrians to the farthest extent not seen since the days of King Solomon, just as God said He would do for them. “He restored the territory of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which He had spoken through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet who was from Gath Hepher.” 2 Kings 14:25
Now the entrance of Hamath was the northern boundary that God originally assigned for Israel (Num. 34:8), which came up to the foot of Mount Hermon (Josh. 13:5). This year round snow covered mountain marked Israel’s northern extremity, which itself is within eye shot of Syria and Lebanon. While Hamath (outside of its surrounding territories) was an ancient fortified city located on the Orontes River, about 115 miles north of Damascus (Syria’s capital) that King Solomon in his reign conquered and built storage depots in (2 Chr. 8:3-4). Now Hamath at various times was ruled by the Hittites, Syrians (Or Arameam’s), and the Assyrians. Its importance was that it was on a major trade route, which linked Near Eastern trade and traders with those of Egypt. Thus Jeroboam’s II recapturing it according to the Word of the Lord around 780 B.C. paved the way for the immense prosperity his reign had. Its strategic location also provided an excellent military outpost for northern Israel to guard against Syrian aggression. While the Sea of Arabah is synonymous with the Dead Sea in the south marking the Northern Kingdom’s boundaries with Judah, the Southern Kingdom.
Now the Dead Sea is fed from Mount Hermon whose highest point exceeds 9200 ft. whose snowy peak feeds a stream system that begins the Jordan River and which ultimately empties into the Dead Sea. Their mention here is simply to indicate that Northern Israel had recovered all of its territories from north to south.

Now though the nation was immensely prospering under King Jeroboam II, this prosperity was severely polluted by the moral corruptions within. The idolatrous sins of Jeroboam I; that is the golden calves by which he made Israel sin; were still being worshipped. The poor were being severely oppressed, even as the upper classes grew proportionately and more affluent, often at their expense (Amos 4:1-2). For there was institutional bribery, greed, oppression, immorality, arrogance, and blatant idolatry (Amos 2:6-8; 11-12; 3:9-10, 15; 4:1-5; 5:10-13; 6:3-7), even while God chastened the land to turn them back to Himself (Amos 4:6-13). And especially during the tenure of King Jeroboam II these sins were heightened. It is against that backdrop of false worship and God’s nation being devoid of true justice, righteousness, and holiness (Amos 4:4-5; 5:4-9; 21-24) that Jonah’s contemporaries Amos and Hosea also prophesied. In this Amos prophesied against six foreign nations or their capitals that surrounded Israel and Judah, then Judah herself. But the bulk of his prophesying was against the arrogance and corruptions within Israel. Declaring a spiritual famine on the land, of hearing the Word of the Lord, that would conclude with God’s judgment on all those who swore by the sin of Samaria; that is the golden calves that Jeroboam I set up for it (Amos 8:1-14). Thus Jeroboam’s II prosperous tenure was illusionary; a calm before the storm; an Assyrian storm that was rising up in the east to bring God’s judgment on the whole house of Jeroboam II; and ultimately end the Northern King’s dynasty forever. As the nation itself would be taken into captivity (Hosea 1:4; Amos 7:7-11) and it's kingdoms dynasty permanently abolished. That’s the backdrop against which Jonah the son of Amittai was called to go and preach to Nineveh.

Now Nineveh was an ancient city founded by Nimrod, the mighty hunter who also built Babylon (Gen. 10:10-12). It was located on eastern bank of Tigris River, opposite present day Mosul, Iraq. Later Sennacherib, the Assyrian ruler (705-681 B.C.) in the days of King Hezekiah would make it his capital. And though the Assyrians as a people cover a wide span of Old Testament history, Nineveh’s mention outside of Genesis in the Scriptures is silent until the time of Jonah, when it was at the height of its prosperity. In many ways than Nineveh’s importance to the Assyrians will revival that of Babylon to the Babylonians. Now Nineveh was an incredible achievement, of engineering and beauty, whose partially excavated site supports the Biblical account of Jonah. While Assyria at the time of Jonah was an expanding world power, whose increasing campaigns into Judah and Israel were the cause of a deep seated hatred by God’s people. For the Assyrians were known for their fireceness in battle and brutality towards those whom they captured. Now they first came up to Northern Israel beginning with King Jehu (841-813 B.C) and would continue to do so until the Israelites were according to Word of the Lord taken into captivity by Assyria in 722. B.C.
Therefore the Word of the Lord to Jonah, which was go and warn Nineveh to repent of their wickedness, for God’s judgment was imminent to fall upon them, but that was not something Jonah wanted to do. For God wanted the Ninevites to repent so He could spare them His judgment. And this was looming at the height of their prosperity; which in many ways parallel’s Israel’s own prosperity around this time. Thus Nineveh’s later repentance in many ways could be said to model what God wanted for His own people, as Jonah would later declare of the foolishness of idolatry, after being delivered from the belly of the giant fish; which became literally, as well as symbolically, a place of death, as Jesus would later cite Jonah in regards to His own (Jonah 2:8-9; Matthew 12:39-40). However God does not make people obey Him, not even His own people, He offers conditions of peace, but ultimately leaves the choice up to us all. Still Jonah wanted God to destroy Israel’s enemies without first offering conditions of peace. Not send him to go and preach repentance to the Ninivites so that they might be spared if they did indeed repent.

Vs. 3 Therefore instead of obeying the command of the Lord to go and preach to Nineveh so that they might be given a chance to repent. Jonah (likely in great anger) arose to go from the presence of the Lord. Going down to Joppa a beautiful city on the Mediterranean Sea coast where he found a ship heading to Tarshish, another city renowned for its wealth and trade (2 Chr. 9:21). Now Nineveh was a land journey located near the Tigris River northeast of Jonah’s hometown, readily accessible by trade routes to him, while Tarshish was a major ships voyage in the opposite direction heading west across the Mediterranean Sea! And so Jonah, after paying the ships fair to go to Tarshish “…went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.”
Take note thn that Jonah after fleeing from the presence of the Lord “went down” to Joppa, a seaport city on the Mediterranean coast. Then he “went down” into bowls of the ship heading west for Tarshish. The word used in the Hebrew to describe Jonah's "going down" is quite literal meaning just that, “to go downwards” and it used twice to describe Jonah’s “progress” after fleeing from the presence of the Lord. Which stands juxtaposed if he had gone “up” to Assyria, which was the Lord’s command to him. The point is that in defying the will of the Lord Jonah was basically on a self-directed downward spiral. By outward appearances Jonah may have been heading to some beautiful Mediterranean locals where he thought he could flee from the presence of the Lord, and or would see no more of the Assyrians, Israel’s enemies; but apart from the Lord, and obeying His will for him, Jonah’s chances at success were nil. And as we will see the Lord can, and will, move heaven and earth to motivate His children to obey Him.

Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982

Resources consulted for geographical and historical information:
Nelson’s new illustrated Bible dictionary: An authoritative one-volume reference work on the Bible with full color illustrations [computer file], electronic edition of the revised edition, Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1995.