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Jonah
Chapter One
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JONAH 1
This
chapter gives an account of the call and mission of Jonah to go to Nineveh
and
prophesy there
and the reason of it
Jonah 1:1; his
disobedience to it
Jonah 1:3. God's
resentment of it
by sending a storm into the sea
where he was
which
terrified the mariners
and put the ship in danger of being lost
Jonah 1:4; The
discovery of Jonah and his disobedience as the cause of the tempest
and how it
was made
Jonah 1:6; The
casting of him into the sea at his own motion
and with his own consent
though
with great reluctance in the mariners
Jonah 1:11. The
preparation of a fish for him
which swallowed him up
and in which he lived
three days and three nights
Jonah 1:17.
Jonah 1:1 Now
the word of the Lord
came to Jonah the son of Amittai
saying
YLT
1And there is a word of
Jehovah unto Jonah son of Amittai
saying:
Now the word of the Lord
came unto Jonah the son of Amittai
.... Or
"and the
word of the Lord was"F12ויהי "et
fuit"
Pagninus
Montanus
Drusius; "factum fuit"
Piscator. ;
not that this is to be considered as connected with something the prophet had
on his mind and in his thoughts when he began to write this book; or as a part
detached from a prophecy not now extant; for it is no unusual thing with the
Hebrews to begin books after this manner
especially historical ones
of which
kind this chiefly is
as the books of Ruth
First and Second Samuel
and
Esther; besides
the ו
"vau"
is here not
copulative
but conversive; doing its office by changing the future tense into
the past; which otherwise must have been rendered
"the word of the Lord
shall be"
or "shall come"; which would not only give another
but a wrong sense. "The word of the Lord" often signifies a prophecy
from the Lord; and so the Targum
renders it
"the
word of prophecy from the Lord;'
and
it may be so interpreted
since Jonah
under a spirit of prophecy
foretold
that Nineveh should be destroyed within forty days; though the phrase here
rather signifies the order and command of the Lord to the prophet to do as is
expressed in Jonah 1:2; whose
name was Jonah "the son of Amittai"; of whom see the introduction to
this book. Who his father Amittai was is not known: if the rule of the Jews
would hold good
that when a prophet mentions his own name
and the name of his
father
he is a prophet
the son of a prophet
then Amittai was one; but this
is not to be depended on. The Syriac version calls him the son of Mathai
or
Matthew; though the Arabians have a notion that Mathai is his mother's name;
and observe that none are called after their mothers but Jonas and Jesus
Christ: but the right name is Amittai
and signifies "my truth"; and
to be sons of truth is an agreeable character of the prophets and ministers of
the word
who should be given to truth
possessed of it
and publish it:
saying; as follows:
Jonah 1:2 2 “Arise
go to Nineveh
that great city
and cry out against it; for their wickedness
has come up before Me.”
YLT
2`Rise
go unto Nineveh
the
great city
and proclaim against it that their wickedness hath come up before
Me.'
Arise
go to Nineveh
that
great city
.... That is
arise from the place where he was
and leave the
business he was about
and prepare for a long journey to the place mentioned
and be as expeditious in it as possible. Nineveh was the metropolis of the
Assyrian empire at this time; it was an ancient city built by Ashur
not by
Nimrod; though he by some is said to go into Ashur or Assyria
and build it
Genesis 10:11; and
called it after the name of his son Ninus; for it signifies the mansion or
palace of Ninus; and by most profane writers is called Ninus; according to
Diodorus SiculusF13Bibliothec. l 2. p. 92.
and StraboF14Geograph.
l. 16. p. 507.
it was built by Ninus himself in Assyria
in that part of it
called by him Adiabena. It is said to be a great city
as it must
to be three
days' journey in compass
and to have in it six score thousand infants
besides
men and women
Jonah 3:3. It is
allowed by StraboF15Ut supra. (Geograph. l. 16. p. 507.) to be
larger than Babylon. DiodorusF16Bibliothec. l. 2. p. 92. says that
it was in compass of sixty miles; and had a wall a hundred feet high
and so
broad that three chariots or carriages might go abreast upon it; and it had
fifteen hundred towers
two hundred feet high. Aben Ezra calls it the royal
city of Assyria
which is at this day destroyed; and the wise men of Israel
in
the country of Greece
say it is called Urtia; but
whether so or not
he knew
not:
and cry against it; or prophesy against it
as the Targum; he
was to lift up his voice
and cry aloud
as he passed along in it
that the
inhabitants might hear him; and the more to affect them
and to show that he
was in earnest
and what he delivered was interesting to them
and of the
greatest moment and importance: what he was to cry
preach
or publish
see Jonah 3:2;
for their wickedness is come up before me; it was come
to a very great height; it reached to the heavens; it was not only seen and
known by the Lord
as all things are; but the cry of it was come up to him; it
called aloud for vengeance
for immediate vengeance; the measure of it being
filled up
and the inhabitants ripe for destruction; it was committed openly
and boldly
with much impudence
in the sight of the Lord
as well as against
him; and was no more to be suffered and connived at: it intends and includes
their idolatry
bloodshed
oppression
rapine
fraud
and lying; see Jonah 3:8.
Jonah 1:3 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.
YLT
3And Jonah riseth to flee to
Tarshish from the face of Jehovah
and goeth down [to] Joppa
and findeth a
ship going [to] Tarshish
and he giveth its fare
and goeth down into it
to go
with them to Tarshish from the face of Jehovah.
But Jonah rose up to flee
unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord
.... He was not obedient
to the heavenly vision; he rose up
but not to go to Nineveh
but to Tarshish
the reverse of it; to the sea
as the Targum
the Mediterranean sea
which lay
west
as Nineveh was to the east. Tarshish sometimes is used for the sea; see Psalm 48:7; he
determined to go to sea; he did not care where
or to what place he might find
a ship bound; or to Tarsus in Cilicia
the birthplace of the Apostle Paul
Acts 22:3; so
JosephusF17Antiqu. l. 9. c. 10. sect. 2. and Saadiah Gaon; or to
Tunis in Africa
as R. Melasser in Aben Ezra; or to Carthage
as Theodoret
and
others; or Tartessus in Spain
as others. Among this difference of
interpreters
it is hard to say what place it was: it seems best to understand
it of Tarsus. The prophet had better knowledge of God
and of the perfections
of his nature
than to imagine he could flee from his general presence
which is
everywhere
and from which there is no fleeing
Psalm 139:7; but
his view was to flee out of that land where he granted his special presence to
his people; and from that place where were the symbols of his presence
the
ark
the mercy seat
and cherubim
and in which he stood
and ministered before
the Lord; but now upon this order left his post
and deserted his station. The
reasons given of his conduct are various. The Jewish writers suppose that he
concerned more for the glory of Israel than the glory of God; that he was
fearful
should he do as he was bid
the word of the Lord would be carried from
Judea into the Gentile world
and there remain; that he was of opinion that the
Heathens would repent of their sins at his preaching
though Israel did not
which would turn to the reproach and condemnation of the latter; see Matthew 12:41; and
that he knew that the spirit of prophecy did not dwell upon any out of the land
of Israel
and therefore got as fast as he could out of it
that he might not
be further urged with such a message; which notion is confuted by the instances
of Jeremiah
Ezekiel
and Daniel; to this
sense the Targum inclines
which
adds
"lest
he should prophesy in the name of the Lord:'
but
there is no need to seek for reasons
and which are given by others; such as
going out of his own country into a foreign one; the length of the journey; the
opposition and difficulties he might expect to meet with; and the risk he
should run of his life
by prophesying in and against the metropolis of the
Assyrian empire
where the king's court and palace were; and he not only a
Heathen
but a sovereign and arbitrary prince; when the true reasons are
suggested by the prophet himself; as that he supposed the people would repent;
he knew that God was gracious and merciful
and upon their repentance would not
inflict the punishment pronounced; and he should be reckoned a false prophet
Jonah 4:2;
and went down to Joppa; a seaport town in the
tribe of Dan
upon the Mediterranean sea
where was a haven of ships
formerly
called Japho
Joshua 19:16; at
this time Joppa
as it was in the times of the apostles: here Peter raised
Dorcas to life
and from hence he was sent for by Cornelius
Acts 9:36; it is
now called Jaffa; of which Monsieur ThevenotF18Travels
par. 1. B.
2. c. 52. p. 208. says
"it
is a town built upon the top of a rock
whereof there remains no more at
present but some towers; and the port of it was at the foot of the said
rock.--It is at present a place of few inhabitants; and all that is to be seen
of it is a little castle with two towers
one round
and another square; and a
great tower separate from it on one side. There are no houses by the seaside
but five grottos cut in the rock
of which the fourth is in a place of retreat
for Christians.--There is a harbour still in the same place where it was
formerly; but there is so little water in it
that none but small barks can
enter.'
It
was a very ancient city
saidF19Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 13. to be
older than the flood; and built on a hill so high
that Strabo saysF20Geograph.
l. 16. p. 522. Jerusalem might be seen from thence
which was forty miles from
it. It had its name from Jope the daughter of Aeolus
the wife of Cepheus
the
founder of itF21Stephanus apud Reland. Palestina Illustrata
tom. 2.
p. 865. . Jonah went thither
either from Jerusalem
or from Gathhepher
as
Kimchi and Ben Melech observe: if from the former
it was forty miles to Joppa
as Jerom says; and if from the latter
it is supposed to be about fifty: a
journey of this length must be some time in performing
which shows with what
deliberation and resolution he sinned in disobeying the divine command:
and he found a ship going to Tarshish; just ready to
put to sea
and bound for this place: Providence seemed to favour him
and
answer to his wishes; from whence it may be observed
that the goodness of an
action
and its acceptableness to God
are not to be concluded from its wished
for success:
so he paid the fare thereof; the freight of the ship;
the whole of it
according to Jarchi; that haste and a quicker dispatch might
be made
and no stay for passengers or goods; but that it might be put under
sail directly
and he be the sooner out of the land; which
if true
would show
him to be a man of substance; and agrees with a notion of the Jews
and serves
to illustrate and confirm it
that the spirit of prophecy does not dwell upon
any but a rich man; for which reason the above interpreter catches at it; but
Aben Ezra more truly observes
that he paid his part
what came to his share
what was usual to be paid for a passage to such a place: and whereas it might
be usual then
as now
not to pay till they were arrived at port
and went out
of the ship; he paid his fare at entrance
to secure his passage
lest through
any pretence he should not be took in upon sailing; so determined was he to fly
from God
and disobey his orders:
and went down into it
to go with them unto Tarshish from the
presence of the Lord; having paid his fare
he entered the ship directly
lest he
should be left behind; and went down into the cabin perhaps
to go along with
the mariners and merchants
all Heathens to Tarshish
whither they were bound
in order to be clear of any fresh order from the Lord
to go and prophesy
against Nineveh: here again the Targum adds
"lest
he should prophesy in the name of the Lord.'
Jonah 1:4 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.
YLT
4And Jehovah hath cast a
great wind on the sea
and there is a great tempest in the sea
and the ship
hath reckoned to be broken;
But the Lord sent out a
great wind into the sea
.... He took a wind out of his treasures
and hurled it
as the
wordF23הטיל "projecit"
Mercerus
Drusius; "conjecit"
Cocceius. signifies
into the sea:
"into that sea"F24בים "in
mare illud"
Mercerus. ; that part of it where the ship was Jonah was in.
Winds are at the command of God
which he raises at his pleasure
and fulfil
his will
and are servants of his that obey his orders: this here was sent in
pursuit of Jonah
to stop him in his voyage
when he thought he had got clear
off
and was safe enough. The Jews sayF25Pirke Eliezer
c. 10. fol.
10. 1. this was done when he had been one day's voyage:
and there was a great tempest in the sea; which caused
the waves to rise and roar
and become very tumultuous: this wind was an
extraordinary one
like that "laelaps" or storm of wind which came
down into the sea when the disciples of Christ were on it in a ship; or like
the "Euroclydon"
in which the Apostle Paul was
Acts 27:14;
so that the ship was like to be broken; it was in
danger of it; it seemed as if it would
the waves of the sea were so strong
and beat so hard upon it. It is in the original text
"the ship thought it
should be broken"F26חשבה
"putabat"
Montanus; "cogitavit"
Vatablus
Burkius;
"cogitabat"
Drusius
Cocceius. ; that is
the men in it; they that
had the management of it thought nothing less but that it would be dashed to
pieces
and all their goods and lives lost; so great was the hurricane
occasioned by the wind the Lord sent. It may be rendered
"that shipF1האניה "navem iliam"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator. was like"
&c. The JewsF2Pirke Eliezer
c. 10.
fol. 10. 1. So Aben Ezra
Jarchi
Kimchi
and Abendana in loc. have a notion
that other ships passed to and fro in great tranquillity
and this only was in
distress.
Jonah 1:5 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.[a] But Jonah
had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship
had lain down
and was fast
asleep.
YLT
5and the mariners are
afraid
and cry each unto his god
and cast the goods that [are] in the ship
into the sea
to make [it] light of them; and Jonah hath gone down unto the
sides of the vessel
and he lieth down
and is fast asleep.
Then the mariners were
afraid
.... Perceiving that the storm was not an ordinary
but a
supernatural one; and that the ship and all in it were in extreme danger
and
no probability of being saved. This shows that the storm must be very violent
to frighten such men who were used to the sea
and to storms
and were
naturally bold and intrepid. The word used signifies "salters"
so
called from the salt sea they used
as they are by us "mariners"
from "mare"
the "sea"; though R. Japhet in Aben Ezra
thinks the commodity they carried in their vessel was salt:
and cried every man to his god: to help them
and save
them out of their distress. In the ship it seems were men of different nations
and who worshipped different gods. It was a notion of the Jews
and which
Jarchi mentions as his own
that there were men of the seventy nations of the
earth in it; and as each of them had a different god
they separately called
upon them. The polytheism of the Pagans is to be condemned
and shows the great
uncertainty of their religion; yet this appears to be agreeable to the light of
nature that there is a God
and that God is to be prayed unto
and called upon
especially in time of trouble:
and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the
sea
to lighten it of them; or
"the
vessels"F3את הכלים
"vasa"
V. L. Vatablus
Grotius.
a word the Hebrews use for all
sorts of goods
utensils
&c. it includes
with others
their military
weapons they had to defend themselves
their provisions
the ship's stores or
goods it was freighted with; finding their prayers to their gods were
ineffectual
they betook themselves to this prudential method to lighten the
ship
that they might be able to keep its head above water. So the Targum
"when
they saw there was no profit in them;'
that
is in the gods they called upon
then they did this; the other was a matter of
religion this a point of prudence; such a step the mariners took that belonged
to the ship in which the Apostle Paul was
Acts 27:18;
but Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; into one of
its sides
into a cabin there; the lowest side
as the Targum:
and he lay
and was fast asleep; even snored
as some
versions have it: it may seem strange he should when the wind was so strong and
boisterous; the sea roaring; the waves beating; the ship rolling about; the
mariners hurrying from place to place
and calling to each other to do their
duty; and the passengers crying; and
above all
that he should fall into so
sound a sleep
and continue in it
when he had such a guilty conscience. This
shows that he was asleep in a spiritual as well as in a corporeal sense.
Jonah 1:6 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.”
YLT
6And the chief of the
company draweth near to him
and saith to him
`What -- to thee
O sleeper?
rise
call unto thy God
it may be God doth bethink himself of us
and we do
not perish.'
So the shipmaster came to
him
.... The master of the vessel
who had the command of it; or the
governor of it
as Jarchi; though JosephusF4Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 9.
c. 10. sect. 2.) distinguishes between the governor and the shipmaster:
"the master of the ropers"F5רב החבל "magister funalis"
Munster; "magister
funiculaiorum"
so some in;Mercer; "magister funis"
Calvin.
as it may be rendered; of the sailors
whose business it was to draw the ropes
to loose or gather the sails
at his command: missing him
very probably
he
sought after him
and found him in the hold
in the bottom of the ship
on one
side of it
fast asleep:
and said unto him
what meanest thou
O sleeper? this is not a
time to sleep
when the ship is like to be broke to pieces
all lives lost
and
thine own too: thus the prophet
who was sent to rebuke the greatest monarch in
the world
is himself rebuked by a shipmaster
and a Heathen man. Such an
expostulation as this is proper enough to be used with professors of religion
that are gotten in a spiritual sense into a sleepy and drowsy frame of spirit;
it being an aggravation of it
especially when the nation they are of
the
church of Christ they belong to
and their own persons also
are in danger; see
Romans 13:11 Ephesians 5:14;
arise
call upon thy God; the gods of this
shipmaster and his men were insufficient to help them; they had ears
but they
heard not; nor could they answer them
or relieve them; he is therefore
desirous the prophet would pray to his God
though he was unknown to him; or at
least it suggests that it would better come him to awake
and be up
and
praying to his God
than to lie sleeping there; and the manner in which the
words are expressed
without a copulative
show the hurry of his spirit
the
ardour of his mind
and the haste he was in to have that done he advises to:
every good man has a God to pray unto
a covenant God and Father
and who is a
prayer hearing God; is able to help in time of need
and willing to do it; and
it is the duty and interest of such to call upon him in a time of trouble; yea
they should arise and stir up themselves to this service; and it may be
observed
that the best of men may sometimes be in such a condition and
circumstances as to need to be stirred up to it by others; see Luke 22:46;
if so be that God will think upon us
that we perish not; the supreme
God; for the gods they had prayed to they looked upon as mediators with the
true God they knew not. The shipmaster saw
that
to all human probability
they were all lost men
just ready to perish; that if they were saved
(as who
knew but they might
upon Jonah's praying to his God?) it must be owing to the
kind thoughts of God towards them; to the serenity of his countenance
and
gracious acceptance of prayer
and his being propitious and merciful through
that means; all which seems to be the import of the word used: so the saving of
sinners in a lost and perishing condition
in which all men are
though all are
not sensible of it
is owing to God's thoughts of peace
to his good will
free
favour
and rich grace in Christ Jesus
and through him
as the propitiatory
sacrifice. The Targum is
"if
so be mercy may be granted from the Lord
and we perish not.'
Jonah 1:7 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.
YLT
7And they say each unto his
neighbour
`Come
and we cast lots
and we know on whose account this evil [is]
on us.' And they cast lots
and the lot falleth on Jonah.
And they said everyone to
his fellow
.... That Jonah awoke and rose up
upon the shipmaster's calling
to him
is certain; but whether or no he called upon his God is not; perhaps he
did: and when his prayer was over
and the storm still continuing
the sailors
said one to another
come
and let us cast lots
that we may know for whose cause this
evil is upon us; for
Observing something very uncommon and extraordinary in the
tempest
and all means
both natural and religious
failing to help them; and
though they might know that they were each one of them sinners
yet they
supposed there must be some one notorious sinner among them
that had committed
some very enormous crime
which had drawn the divine resentment upon them to
such a degree; and therefore they proposed to cast a lot
which was an appeal
to the divine Being
in order to find out the guilty person. That the Heathens
used the lot upon occasion is not only manifest from profane writers
but from
the sacred Scriptures; as Haman
and other enemies of God's people; and the
soldiers that attended the cross of Christ
Esther 9:24 Nahum 3:10. Drusius
reports
from Xavierus
of some Heathens sailing to Japan
and other places in
the East Indies
that they used to carry an idol with them
and by lots inquire
of it whither they should go; and whether they should have prosperous winds
&c.
so they cast lots
and the lot fell upon Jonah; through the
overruling providence and disposing hand of God
which attended this affair;
for
not to inquire whether the use of the lot was lawful or not
or whether
performed in that serious and solemn manner as it should be
if used at all; it
pleased God to interfere in this matter
to direct it to fall on Jonah
with
whom he had a particular concern
being a prophet of his
and having disobeyed
his will; see Proverbs 16:33. The
Syriac version renders it
"the lot of Jonah came up"; that is
the
piece of paper
or whatever it was
on which his name was written
was taken up
first out of the vessel in which the lots were put.
Jonah 1:8 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?”
YLT
8And they say unto him
`Declare to us
we pray thee
on what account this evil [is] on us? what [is]
thine occupation
and whence comest thou? what [is] thy country
seeing thou
art not of this people?'
Then they said unto him
tell us
we pray thee
.... They did not fall upon him at once in an outrageous manner
and throw him overboard; as it might be thought such men would have done
considering what they had suffered and lost by means of him; but they use him
with great respect
tenderness
and lenity: and entreat him to tell them
for whose cause this evil was upon them: or rather
as
the Targum
"for
what this evil is upon us;'
and
so NoldiusF6Concordant. Part. Ebr. p. 182. No. 828. renders the
words; for their inquiry was not about the person for whose cause it was; that
was determined by the lot; but on what account it was; what sin it was he had
been guilty of
which was the cause of it; for they supposed some great sin
must be committed
that had brought down the vengeance of God in such a manner:
what is thine occupation? trade or business? this
question they put
to know whether he had any
or was an idle man; or rather
whether it was an honest and lawful employment; whether it was by fraud or
violence
by thieving and stealing
he got his livelihood; or by conjuring
and
using the magic art: or else the inquiry was about his present business
what
he was going about; what he was to do at Tarshish when he came there; whether
he was not upon some ill design
and sent on an unlawful errand
and going to
do some ill thing
for which vengeance pursued him
and stopped him:
and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what
people art thou? which questions seem to relate to the same thing
what nation he
was of; and put by different persons
who were eager to learn what countryman
he was
that they might know who was the God he worshipped
and guess at the
crime he had been guilty of.
Jonah 1:9 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.”
YLT
9And he saith unto them
`A
Hebrew I [am]
and Jehovah
God of the heavens
I am reverencing
who made the
sea and the dry land.'
And he said unto them
I am
an Hebrew
.... He does not say a Jew
as the Targum wrongly renders it; for
that would have been false
since he was of the tribe of Zebulun
which was in
the kingdom of Israel
and not of Judah; nor does he say an Israelite
lest he
should be thought to be in the idolatry of that people; but a Hebrew
which was
common to both; and
besides
it not only declared what nation he was of
but
what religion he professed
and who was his God:
and I fear the Lord
the God of heaven
which hath made the sea
and the dry land; this answers to the other question
what was his occupation or
business? he was one that feared the Lord
that served and worshipped him; a
prophet of the great God
as JosephusF7Antiqu. l. 9. c. 10. sect. 2.
expresses and so Kimchi; the mighty Jehovah
that made the "heavens"
and dwells in them; and from whence that storm of wind came
which had so much
distressed the ship
and still continued: and who made the "sea"
which was now so boisterous and raging
and threatened them with ruin; and
"the dry land"
where they would be glad to have been at that
instant. By this description of God
as the prophet designed to set him forth
in his nature and works
so to distinguish him from the gods of Heathens
who
had only particular parts of the universe assigned to them
when his Jehovah
was Lord of all; but where was the prophet's fear and reverence of God when he
fled from him
and disobeyed him? it was not lost
though not in exercise.
Jonah 1:10 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.
YLT
10And the men fear a great
fear
and say unto him
`What [is] this thou hast done!' for the men have known
that from the face of Jehovah he is fleeing
for he hath told them.
Then were the men
exceedingly afraid
.... When they found he was a Hebrew
and that it was the God of
the Hebrews that was angry; of whom they had heard much
and what great and
wonderful things had been done by him
and now had an experience of his power
and providence
and that it was for fleeing from his presence that all this
was; and therefore
since they had been guilty of greater sins than this
as
they might imagine
what would be done to them? and particularly it might fill
them with dread and terror
when they heard of the destruction of Nineveh
the
prophet was sent to denounce; of which no doubt he had told them
and they
might from hence conclude it would certainly be:
and said unto him
why hast thou done this? they wonder
he should act such a foolish part as to flee from such a God he had described
to them
who was Lord of heaven
earth
and sea; and therefore could meet with
him
and seize him
be he where he would; and they reprove him for it
and the
rather as it had involved them in so much distress and danger:
for the men knew that he had fled from the presence of the Lord
because he had told them; not when he first
entered into the ship
but now
though not before mentioned; for no doubt Jonah
told the whole story at length
though the whole is not recorded; how that he
was sent by the Lord with a message to Nineveh
to denounce destruction to it;
and that he refused to go
and fled from his face; and this was the true reason
of the storm.
Jonah 1:11 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.
YLT
11And they say unto him
`What do we do to thee that the sea may cease from us
for the sea is more and
more tempestuous?'
Then said they unto him
what shall we do unto thee
.... Though
both by the lot and his own
confession
they knew he was the guilty person; for whose sake this storm was;
yet were unwilling to do anything to him without his will and consent
his
counsel and advice; perceiving that he was a prophet of the God of the Hebrews
whom he had offended
and knew the mind and will of his God
and the nature of
his offence against him
and what only would appease him they desire him to
tell what they ought to do; fearing that
though they had found out the man
they should make a mistake in their manner of dealing with him
and so continue
the distress they were in
or increase it; their great concern being to be rid
of the storm:
that the sea may be calm unto us? or "silent"F8וישתק "ut sileat"
Pagninus
Vatablus
Mercerus
Drusius; "et silebit"
Montanus; "ut conticeseat"
Junius
& Tremellius
Piscator
Burkius. ? for the waves thereof made a hideous
roaring
and lifted up themselves so high
as was terrible to behold; and dashed
with such vehemence against the ship
as threatened it every moment with
destruction:
(for the sea wrought
and was tempestuous); or
"it
went and swelled"F9הולך וסער "ibat et intumescebat"
Pagninus
Vatablus
Drusius. ; it was agitated to and fro
and was in a great ferment
and grew
more and more stormy and tempestuous. Jonah's confession of his sin
and true
repentance for it
were not sufficient; more must be one to appease an angry
God; and what that was the sailors desired to know. These words are inserted in
a parenthesis with us
as if put by the writer of the book
pointing out the
reason of the men's request; but
according to Kimchi: they are their own
words
giving a reason why they were so pressing upon him to know what they
should do with him
"seeing the sea was going and stormy"F11"Vadeus
et turbinans"
Montanus; "magis ac magis procellosum erat"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; "inhorrescebat"
Cocceius. ; or
more and more stormy; which seems right.
Jonah 1:12 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.”
YLT
12And he saith unto them
`Lift me up
and cast me into the sea
and the sea doth cease from you; for I
know that on my account this great tempest [is] upon you.'
And he said unto them
take me up
and cast me forth into the sea
.... This he said not as
choosing rather to die than to go to Nineveh; or as having overheard the men
say that they would cast him into the sea
as Aben Ezra suggests
greatly to
the prejudice of the prophet's character; but as being truly sensible of his
sin
and that he righteously deserved to die such a death; and in love to the
lives of innocent men
that they might be saved
and not perish
through his
default; and as a prophet
knowing this to be the mind and will of God
he
cheerfully and in faith submits to it
with a presence of mind and courage suitable
to his character. It was not fit he should leap into the sea and destroy
himself; but that he should die by the hand of justice
of which the shipmaster
and the ship's crew were the proper executioners:
so shall the sea be calm unto you; or "silent"
as before; it will cease from its roaring
and do no further hurt and damage:
for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you; for the sin
he had committed in fleeing from God
this storm was raised and continued; nor
could it go off till they had done what he had directed them to; there was no
other way of being clear of it. In this Jonah was a type of Christ
who
willingly gave himself to suffer and die
that he might appease divine wrath
satisfy justice
and save men; only with this difference
Jonah suffered for
his own sins
Christ for the sins of others; Jonah to endured a storm he
himself had raised by his sins
Christ to endure a storm others had raised by
their sins.
Jonah 1:13 13 Nevertheless
the men rowed hard to return to land
but they could not
for the sea continued
to grow more tempestuous against them.
YLT
13And the men row to turn
back unto the dry land
and are not able
for the sea is more and more
tempestuous against them.
Nevertheless
the men
rowed hard to bring it to the land
but they could not
.... Or
"they digged"F12ויחתרו "et fodiebant"
Montanus
Calvin
Piscator
Tarnovius; "foderunt"
Vatablus
Liveleus. ; that is
the
waters of the sea with their oars; not by casting anchor
as Abendana; they
used all their skill and exerted all their strength; they laboured with all
their might and main
as a man digs in a pit; they ploughed the ocean
and
furrowed the sea
as the Latins speak
but all in vain; they rowed against wind
and tide; God
his purposes and providence
were against them; and it was not
possible for them to make land
and get the ship ashore
which they were
desirous of
to save the life of Jonah
as well as their own; for
seeing him
penitent
they had compassion on him; his character and profession as a
prophet
the gravity of the man
the sedateness of his countenance
his
openness of mind
and his willingness to die
wrought greatly upon the men
that they would fain have saved him if they could; and perhaps being Heathens
and not knowing thoroughly the nature of his offence
might think he did not deserve
to die; but all their endeavours to save him were to no purpose:
for the sea wrought
and was tempestuous against them; it grew more
and more so; the storm beat right against them
and drove them back faster than
they came; so that it was impossible to stand against it.
Jonah 1:14 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.”
YLT
14And they cry unto Jehovah
and say
`We pray Thee
O Jehovah
let us not
we pray Thee
perish for this
man's life
and do not lay on us innocent blood
for Thou
Jehovah
as Thou
hast pleased
Thou hast done.'
Wherefore they cried unto
the Lord
.... Not unto their gods
but unto the true Jehovah
the God of
Jonah
and of the Hebrews; whom they now
by this providence
and Jonah's
discourse
had some convictions and knowledge of as the true God; and therefore
direct their prayer to him
before they cast the prophet into the sea:
and said
we beseech thee
O Lord
we beseech thee; which
repetition shows the ardent
vehemence
and earnestness of their minds in
prayer:
let us not perish for this man's life; they were in
the utmost perplexity of mind
not knowing well what to do; they saw they must
perish by the storm
if they saved his life; and they were afraid their should
perish
if they took it away; and which yet they were obliged to do; and
therefore had no other way left but to pray to the Lord they might not perish
for it; or it be reckoned as their crime
and imputed to them
as follows:
and lay not upon us innocent blood; for so it was to them;
he had done no hurt to them since he had been with them
except in being the
cause of the storm
whereby they had suffered the loss of their goods; however
had not been guilty of anything worthy of death
as they could observe; and as
for his offence against God
they were not sufficient judges of
and must leave
it with him: the light of nature teaches men to be tender of the lives of
fellow creatures
and to avoid shedding of innocent blood:
for thou
O Lord
hast done as it pleased thee; it appeared
to them to be the wilt of God that he should be cast into the sea; from the
storm that was raised on his account; from the determination of the lot; from
the confession of Jonah
and his declaration of the will of God in this matter
as a prophet of his: they did not pretend to account for it; it was a secret to
them why it should be; but it was no other than what he would have done; and
therefore they hoped no blame would be laid on them.
Jonah 1:15 15 So
they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea
and the sea ceased from its
raging.
YLT
15And they lift up Jonah
and
cast him into the sea
and the sea ceaseth from its raging;
So they took up
Jonah
and cast him forth into the sea
.... They took him out of the hold or cabin
where he was
and brought him upon deck; they took him
not against his will
but with his full consent
and according to the direction and advice he gave
them: "they"
for there were more than one employed in this affair;
one or more very probably took him by the legs
and others put their hands
under his arm holes
and so threw him into the sea:
and the sea ceased from her raging; immediately
and became
a calm; and the wind also ceased from blowing
which is supposed; the end being
answered by the storm
and the person found and obtained
what was sought after
by it
it was still and quiet. The story the JewsF13Pirke Eliezer
c. 10. fol. 10. 2. tell of his being let down into the sea to his knees
upon
which the sea was calm
but became raging again upon his being taken up; and
so
at the second time
to his navel; and the third time to his neck; is all
fabulous; but he being wholly thrown in
it raged no more.
Jonah 1:16 16 Then
the men feared the Lord
exceedingly
and offered a sacrifice to the Lord and took vows.
YLT
16and the men fear Jehovah --
a great fear
and sacrifice a sacrifice to Jehovah
and vow vows.
Then the men feared the
Lord exceedingly
.... This was not a natural fear
as before
but a religious one;
and not a servile fear
or a fear of punishment
but a reverential godly fear;
for they feared him
not only because they saw his power in raising and
stilling the tempest
but his goodness to them in saving them:
and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord; a spiritual
sacrifice; the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for a safe deliverance from
the storm; for other sort of sacrifice they seemed not to have materials for; since
they had thrown overboard what they had in the ship to lighten it
unless there
might be anything left fit for this purpose; but rather
if it is to be
understood of a ceremonial sacrifice
it was offered when they went out of the
ship
according to the gloss of Aben Ezra; or they solemnly declared they
would
as soon as they came to land; to which sense is the Targum
"and
they said
they would offer a sacrifice:'
and
agreeably to this the words may be rendered
with what follows
thus
"and
offered a sacrifice unto the Lord"
that is
and made vows; they vowed that they would offer a
sacrificeF14So Drusius. when arrived in their own country
or should
return to Judea
and come to Jerusalem. So the Hebrew ו
"vau"
is often usedF15Vid. Nold. Ebr. Part. Concord. p.
280.
as exegetical and explanative; though many interpreters understand the
vows as distinct from the sacrifice; and that they vowed that the God of the
Hebrews should be their God
and that they would for the future serve and
worship him only; that they would become proselytes
as Jarchi; or give alms to
the poor
as Kimchi; as an evidence of their sense of gratitude to God
the
author of their mercies. If these men were truly converted
as it seems as if
they were
they were great gainers by this providence; for though they lost
their worldly goods
they found what was infinitely better
God to be their God
and portion
and all spiritual good thing a with him; and it may be observed of
the wise and wonderful providence of God
that though Jonah refused to go and
preach to the Gentiles at Nineveh
for which he was corrected; yet God made
this dispensation a means of converting other Gentiles.
Jonah 1:17 17 Now
the Lord
had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the
fish three days and three nights.
YLT
17And Jehovah appointeth a
great fish to swallow up Jonah
and Jonah is in the bowels of the fish three
days and three nights.
Now the Lord had prepared
a great fish to swallow up Jonah
.... Not from the
creation of the world
as say the JewsF16Pirke Eliezer
c. 10. fol.
10. 2. ; for this is to be understood
not of the formation or making of it;
but of the ordering and disposition of it by the providence of God to be near the
ship
and its mouth open to receive Jonah
as soon as he was cast forth from
thence: and a great one it must be
to take him at once into its mouth
and
swallow him down its throat
and retain him whole in its belly; and such great
fishes there are in the sea
particularly the "carcharias"
or dog
fish; the same with Triton's dog
said to swallow Hercules
in which he was
three days; and which fable perhaps took its rise from hence. In Matthew 12:40
it
is said to be a "whale"; but then that must be understood
not as the
proper name of a fish
but as common to all great fishes; otherwise the whale
properly so called
it is said
has not a swallow large enough to take down a
man; though some deny this
and assert they are capable of it. Of the
"balaena"
which is one kind of whale
it is reportedF17Philostrat.
Vit. Apollonii
l. 1. c. 7.
that when it apprehends its young ones in danger
will take them
and hide them within itself; and then afterwards throw them out
again; and certain it is that the whale is a very great fish
if not the
greatest. PlinyF18Nat. Hist. l. 32
c. 1. speaks of whales six
hundred feet long
and three hundred and sixty broad; and of the bones of a
fish
which were brought to Rome from Joppa
and there shown as a miracle
which were forty feet long; and said to be the bones of the monstrous fish to
which Andromede at Joppa was exposedF19Nat. Hist. l. 9. c. 5. ;
which story seems to be hammered out of this history of Jonah; and the same is
reported by SolinusF20Polyhistor. c. 47. ; however
it is out of
doubt that there are fishes capable of swallowing a man. NierembergiusF21Nat.
Hist. l. 2. c. 26. apud Schotti Physics Curiosa
par. 2. l. 10. c. 10. sect. 9.
speaks of a fish taken near Valencia in Spain
so large that a man on horseback
could stand in its mouth; the cavity of the
brain held seven men; its jaw
bones
which were kept in the Escurial
were seventeen feet long; and two carcasses
were found in its stomach: he says it was called "piscis mularis";
but some learned men took it to be the dog fish before mentioned; and such a
large devouring creature is the shark
of which the present bishop of BergenF23Pantoppidan's
History of Norway
par. 2. p. 114
116.
and others
interpret this fish here;
in which sometimes has been found the body of a man
and even of a man in
armour
as many writersF24Vid
Lipen. Jonae Displus
c. 2. th. 6. in
Dissert. Theolog. Philol. tom. 1. p. 987. have observed. SomeF25Vid.
Texelii Phoenix
l. 3. c. 6. p. 242
243. think it was a crocodile
which
though a river fish
yet
for the most part
is at the entrance of rivers
and
sometimes goes into the sea many miles
and is capable of swallowing a man;
some are above thirty feet long; and in the belly of one of them
in the
Indies
was found a woman with all her clothes onF26Mandelsloe in
Harris's Voyages and Travels
vol. 1. B. 1. c. 2. p. 759. :
and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights: that is
one
whole natural day
consisting of twenty four hours
and part of two others; the
Jews having no other way of expressing a natural day but by day and night; and
to this the antitype answers; namely
our Lord's being so long in the grave; of
whose death
burial
and resurrection
this was a type
as appears from Matthew 12:40; for
which reason Jonah was so miraculously preserved; and a miracle it was that he
should not in this time be digested in the stomach of the creature; that he was
not suffocated in it
but breathed and lived; and that he was able to bear the
stench of the creature's maw; and that he should have his senses
and be in
such a frame of mind as both to pray and praise; but what is it that the power
of God cannot do? Here some begin the second chapter
and not amiss.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)