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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Jonah 1:3

JONAH—NOTE ON Jonah 1:3 Tarshish was somewhere in the western Mediterranean—the opposite direction from Nineveh. From the presence of the LORD is repeated to emphasize Jonah’s reason for going to Tarshish. Went down is also a euphemism for death (e.g., Genesis 37:35). Each step away from the presence of the Lord is one step closer to “going down” to death.

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See also Jonah 1:3 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Jonah 1:3. _TO FLEE UNTO TARSHISH_] Some say _Tartessus_, in Spain, near the straits of Gibralter, others, _Tarsus_, in _Cilicia_; and others, _Taprobana_, or the island of Ceylon, formerly call...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    BUT (AND) JONAH ROSE UP TO FLEE ... FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD - literally “from being before the Lord.” Jonah knew well, that man could not escape from the presence of God, whom he knew as the Sel...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS CHAPTER 1 The Commission of the Prophet ,His Disobedience, and the Consequences _ 1. The commission (John 1:1) _ 2. The disobedience (John 1:3) 3. The consequences (John...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    JONAH 1:1 TO JONAH 2:1; JONAH 2:10. JONAH VAINLY SEEKS TO EVADE THE MISSION TO WHICH GOD APPOINTS HIM. Jonah is bidden by Yahweh to proclaim judgment on Nineveh for its sin, but he hurries in the oppo...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    ROSE UP TO FLEE. Jonah knew that Assyria was to be God's sword of judgment against Israel. If Nineveh perished, Israel might be saved. God's mercy might arrest this overthrow of Nineveh. Was this why...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Tarshish_ Probably Tartessus, an ancient mercantile city of the Phœnicians, in the S. of Spain, of which the site is supposed to have been "between the two arms by which the Guadalquivir flowed into...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _ARISE; GO PREACH TO NINEVEH -- JONAH 1:1-3:_ God is concerned even with the wickedness of heathen nations. So He commanded Jonah to preach in Nineveh. Jonah, the son of Amittai, was a prophet of God...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    JONAH ROSE UP TO FLEE UNTO TARSHISH— Which, according to Josephus, was _Tarsus,_ the capital of Cilicia. Others say _Tartessus_ in Spain. _From the presence of the Lord,_ Houbigant reads, _Through fea...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    GOD'S MESSENGER RUNNING FROM GODTHE CONTRARIETY OF JONAH TEXT: Jonah 1:3-10 3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah; and he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with th...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE DISOBEDIENCE OF JONAH 2. Nineveh] the world-famous capital of Assyria, on the Tigris. For its wickedness cp. Nahum 3. 3. Jonah seeks to escape from the unwelcome task, both because he hates the N...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE MAN WHO DISAGREED WITH GOD JONAH _MARK KIRKPATRICK_ INTRODUCTION The book does not say who wrote it. It is unlikely that Jonah was the author. This is because the story is not very favourable...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    BUT JONAH ROSE UP TO FLEE. — The motive of the prophet’s flight is given by himself (Jonah 4:2). He foresaw the repentance of the city, and the mercy which would be displayed towards it, and was eithe...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יָּ֤קָם יֹונָה֙ לִ בְרֹ֣חַ תַּרְשִׁ֔ישָׁה...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE GREAT REFUSAL John 1:1 WE have now laid clear the lines upon which the Book of Jonah was composed. Its purpose is to illustrate God's grace to the heathen in face of His people's refusal to fulfi...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    FLEEING FROM GOD AND DUTY John 1:1-16 Jonah is mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25. He was clearly very patriotic, and did not despair of his country in its darkest days. This commission to Nineveh was theref...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In narrating his own experience on his mission to Nineveh, Jonah intended to teach his people the lesson of the inclusiveness of the divine government, and thus to rebuke their exclusive attitude towa...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    But Jonah rose up to (d) flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to (e) Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Tharsis. Which some take to be Tharsus of Cilicia, others to be Tartessus of Spain, others to be Carthage. (Challoner) --- Joppe, now Jaffa, (Menochius) a miserable seaport. (Haydock) --- It was forme...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    It is probable that this Tarshish was Tarsus, a sea-port in Israel. But what an awful attempt in Jonah to run from the Lord, and how foolish as well as presumptuous, the endeavour. Reader let not us b...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Lectures on the Minor Prophets. W. Kelly. The most cursory reader can hardly avoid seeing that Jonah has a peculiar place among the prophets. There is none more intensely Jewish; yet his prophecy was...

  • John Brown Commentaries Selected Books of the Bible

    Jonah the Sprinter I. INTRODUCTION A. This morning we begin the study of the book of Jonah! 1. This little book is only 4 Chapter s long, but filled with spiritual truths! 2. There has also been m...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    Jonah now relates how he sought hiding-places, that he might withdraw himself from the service of God; not that he deceived himself with such a gross notion, as that he would be no longer under the po...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Introduction to Jonah Nineveh-which represents the world in its natural greatness, full of pride and iniquity, regardless of God and of His authority-had deserved the righteous judgment of God. This i...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    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...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with the...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish_ It is not to be wondered at that Jonah should be averse to undertake this mission. He probably considered it as a dangerous one, and might be tempted to think...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    JONAH'S COMMISSION AND FLIGHT...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    But Jonah, instead of showing the proper obedience to the Lord, ROSE UP TO FLEE UNTO TARSHISH, Tartessus in Spain, one of the westernmost cities of the ancient world and always considered as lying on...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    BUT, Heb. _And_. JONAH ROSE UP: he was commanded to arise, JONAH 1:2, so here Jonah did, but it was to run from his business, not to do it; it was a rising against God. TO FLEE: whatever was the cause...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Jonah 1:3 Jonah H3124 arose H6965 (H8799) flee H1272 (H8800) Tarshish H8659 presence H6440 LORD H3068 down...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of YHWH, and he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid its fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    John 1:3 I. We cannot understand the conduct of Jonah fully. We cannot judge it fairly without considering some things which seemed to him to be reasons against compliance with the Divine call. (1) It...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    JONAH 1-4 Jonah buried and risen a type of Christ. I. More than once in the course of our Lord's ministry, among different persons and for different objects, He makes use of the similitude of the pro...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Jonah 1:1. Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Jonah's commission and effort to avoid God's will. Swallowed by a great fish. CHARACTERS: God, Jonah, seamen. CONCLUSION: Men may be distinctly called of God to proclaim His message, yet r...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Jonah 1:1. _The word of the Lord came to Jonah._ The word of prophecy, delivered by Christ, the preëxistent Word, as appears from his reasoning with the prophet when angry that Nineveh was spared. Jon...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish._ THE REFUSAL TO OBEY A GOD-GIVEN CHARGE Jonah sullenly resolved not to obey God’s voice. What a glimpse into the prophetic office that gives us! The Divine S...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Now the Word of the Lord came unto Jonah._ JONAH, THE RUNAWAY PROPHET The commission may be viewed-- I. In its source. It is-- 1. Supreme, as the Word of the Lord. 2. Peremptory; it is absolute,...

  • The children's great texts of the Bible by James Hastings

    PAYING THE FARE He paid the fare thereof. Jonah 1:3. A ship bound for Tarshish in Spain was just weighing anchor in the harbour of Joppa when a little flustered man, very much out of breath, tumbled...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.] JONAH 1:3. TARSHISH] Tartessus in Spain; others, Carthage; probably Tarsus in Cilicia. PRESENCE] Lit. from being in the presence, _i.e._ from standing in the presence of the Lord as H...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JONAH 1:1 Part I. THE MISSION OF JONAH. HIS DISOBEDIENCE AND PUNISHMENT. JONAH 1:1 § 1. Jonah is sent to Nine

  • The Typology of Scripture by Patrick Fairbairn

    CHAPTER III. JONAH'S BEHAVIOUR ON RECEIVING THE DIVINE COMMISSION, AND THE EXTRAORDINARY MEANS TAKEN TO RECLAIM HIM FROM HIS BACKSLIDING IF it seemed strange, at first sight, that Jonah should have re...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Jonah Now we come to that interesting prophet Jonah. Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedne...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 9:16; 1 Kings 19:3; 1 Kings 19:9; 2 Chronicles 2:16;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    JONAH, THE BOOK OF DIVINE REVELATIONS Jonah 1:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We want, as we enter into the Book of Jonah, to speak of its historicity. There are many today who relegate this most marvelous me...

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