And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Ver. 1. _And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time_] Jonah is a sinner, but not a castaway. God lays him not by as a broken vessel, treads him not to the dunghill, as unsavoury salt; but receives him upon his return by... [ Continue Reading ]
Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. Ver. 2. _Arise, go unto Nineveh_] Begin again, and take better heed; as that Nazarite was to do that had defiled the head of his consecration, Numbers 6:9; Numbers 6:12 . _ Unto Nineveh, that great city_] _Se... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 3. _So Jonah arose and went unto Nineveh_] He went not home first to bid them farewell, as Luke 9:61, neither went he another way, as once; it was enough of... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. Ver. 4. _And Jonah began to enter into the city_] Having seen God he now fears no colours, dreads no danger; as neither did Moses, Micaiah, Isaiah, Isaiah 6:9,12, Paul, A... [ Continue Reading ]
So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. Ver. 5. _So the people of Nineveh believed God_] See the mighty power of God's holy word. "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to th... [ Continue Reading ]
For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered [him] with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. Ver. 6. _For word came unto the king of Nineveh_] I can hardly believe that this was Sardanapalus, as some will carry it, but some other better pr... [ Continue Reading ]
And he caused [it] to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: Ver. 7. _And he caused it to be proclaimed_] By sound of trumpet, as Joel 2:12; or othe... [ Continue Reading ]
_But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that [is] in their hands._ Ver. 8. _But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth_] Let all best means be used for the humbling of the heart; without... [ Continue Reading ]
Who can tell [if] God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? Ver. 9. _Who can tell if God will turn and repent_] This is the speech of one that doubteth and yet despaireth not, like that of David praying for his sick child, "Who can tell whether God will be g... [ Continue Reading ]
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did [it] not. Ver. 10. _And God saw their works_] _i.e._ He noted and noticed them to others; or, he saw them, that is, he approved of them. _Videre Dei,... [ Continue Reading ]