Both in terms of form and content, he is also inspired by the book of nahum. The late nahum sarna was professor emeritus of biblical studies at brandeis university. Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, why hast thou done this. Through some supernatural events, god convinced him to obey and carry out the lords plan. Pdf hebrew exegesis of jonah 4 jonathan ray academia. He is the central figure of the book of jonah, in which he is called upon by. The name jonah means dove in hebrew, but jonahs character is anything but dovelike. The book of jonah is a book of the neviim prophets in the hebrew bible. The book of the twelve prophets was originally on one parchment roll because of the brevity of the text, and together formed one book of the 24 books of hebrew scripture. The author employs structure, humor, hyperbole, irony, double. Throughout the book, jonah is repeatedly referred to in the third person, causing some to search for. This is the link to the playlist and a versebyverse narration. Includes a text critical analysis, a literary analysis, a syntactical and grammatical analysis, a thematic analysis, and contemporary application.
Jonah, the book of definition and meaning bible dictionary. He goes to joppa and boards a ship bound for tarshish. The writer of the book of jonah builds his case upon the authoritative text from exodus 34. Full text in english of the book of jonah my jewish learning. The classical biblical hebrew is dated to the first temple period, whereas the late biblical hebrew dates to the second temple period. Jonah or jonas, in the hebrew bible tanakhold testament, is a prophet of the northern kingdom of israel in about the 8th century bce. Jonah is commanded to go east to nineveh but flees toward the westernmost possible point, only to be swallowed by a great fish and dumped back at this starting point 2. The book makes no direct claim regarding authorship. The book is replete with irony, wherein much of its humor lies. Book of jonah in wikipedia the book of jonah hebrew. Jonah is commanded to go east to nineveh but flees toward the westernmost possible point 1. The book of jonah is narrative history and a prophetic oracle. It is an important book to both religious traditions christianity and jewish.
While jonah eventually did what he was asked to do, the book closes with showing jonah as a bitter man. God calls jonah to proclaim judgment to nineveh, but jonah resists and attempts to flee so he doesnt have to complete his holy mission. He went down to joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. It was republished in bible history daily on september 20, 2015. Jonah was a prophet in the land of israel about 800750 bc. Full text in english of the book of jonah my jewish. Summary of the book of jonah the story of the bible. Many critics however want to lower the book of jonah to an allegory, a parable or a legend because of the miracles described in it especially the appearing of the great fish devouring jonah. Following the lead of the hebrew masoretic text, the title of the book is derived from the principal character, jonah. Jonah 1 new international version niv jonah flees from the lord. A discourse analysis of the hebrew bible by kevin j.
Jonah with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. It is one of trei asar the twelve prophets in the tanakh, and in christian tradition as oi dodeka prophetai or ton dodekapropheton, greek for the twelve prophets. His word came in visions, oracles, dreams, parables, and the like. But jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship. But if you know hebrew and want to broaden your reading and translating abilities, i happily recommend this volume. It would be presumptuous to think that one could, in a brief article, speak the final word on the questions in debate. Regretfully he had to resign prematurely from the jerusalem bible project and in one letter referred to his listing as a principal collaborator as an undeserved courtesy.
The playlist jonah 1 hebrew text and narration contains every verse of the first chapter of the book of jonah in a separate video. The book of jonah is the fifth book in the christian canons and the jewish tanakh. Jonah is the most widely known of the minor prophets, the last 12 books of the old testament. The book of the twelve prophets was originally on one parchment roll. During this time, an important event happened to israel. Jonah started out and made his way into the city the distance of one days walk, and proclaimed. While the story line is so simple that children follow it readily, the story is marked by as high a degree of literary sophistication as any book in the hebrew bible. I was assigned this book as part of a hebrew exegesis course, and i have a hard time imagining a better book for looking closely at the book of jonah, both examining the hebrew text in detail and connecting dots with the rest of scripture e.
Key personalities include jonah, the captain and the ships crew and the people of nineveh. Jonah is identified as a prophet and servant of god during the reign of king jeroboam ii of israel 2 kings 14. Shipmates, this book, containing only four chaptersfour yarnsis one of the smallest strands in the mighty cable of the scriptures. He is the central figure of the book of jonah, in which he is called upon by god to travel to nineveh and warn its residents of impending divine wrath. Caught in a storm, he orders the ships crew to cast him overboard. Dont think youll learn hebrew simply by using this book. Jonah thrown overboard and swallowed by a great fish 1. Unfortunate or not, the book of jonah, which may best be understood as a parable, is included in the section known as neviim in the hebrew bible tanach and the prophetic books, the twelve, in english versions of the bible. The prophetic significance of this book not only lies in the short message in nineveh but also in the entire history of jonah described in his book. It tells of a hebrew prophet named jonah son of amittai who is sent by god to prophesy the destruction of nineveh but tries to escape the divine mission. Set in the reign of jeroboam ii 786746 bc, it was probably written in the postexilic period, some time between the late 5th to early 4th century bc. Nineveh was an enormously large city a three days walk across.
Jonah, ruth, and esther cliffsnotes study guides book. The book of jonah tells the story of a hebrew prophet named jonah ben amittai. The name jonah means dove in hebrew, but jonah s character is anything but dovelike. This little roll of four short chapters has given rise to almost as much discussion and difference of opinion as the first four chapters of genesis. When god had a message for the people, he spoke through the prophets. Tuckers analysis is a convenient pedagogical and reference tool that explains the form and syntax of the biblical text, offers guidance. No writer in the bible tells such a bad story about himself. Go at once to nineveh, that great city, and proclaim judgment upon it. Book of jonah, the fifth of 12 old testament books that bear the names of the minor prophets, embraced in a single book, the twelve, in the jewish canon. Apr 15, 2015 the playlist jonah 1 hebrew text and narration contains every verse of the first chapter of the book of jonah in a separate video. A handbook on the hebrew text baylor handbook on the. Sometimes, a verse is divided in two in order to keep a. Jonah is, as many know, one of the most funniest books in the hebrew bible. Yet what depths of the soul does jonahs deep sealine sound.
This is because the story is not very favourable towards jonah. Hebrew ot transliteration holy name kjv yonah jonah 1. Now nineveh was an exceeding great city, of three days journey. The complete first book of jonah in hebrew on youtube with extra slow narration and big font size of the masoretic text. T he book of jonah is an old testament story which tells about how the prophet jonah refused to follow the lord.
Resources for ancient biblical studies bible history online. Jonah went at once to nineveh in accordance with the lords command. Throughout the book, jonah is repeatedly referred to. The writer of this article has attempted to do this in stades zeitschrift, 1892, pp. This second edition of jonah is distinguished by the detailed and comprehensive attention paid to the hebrew text. Unlike other old testament prophetic books, jonah is not a collection of the prophets oracles but primarily a narrative about the man. Tolkiens main part was the translation of the book of jonah a book in the old testament that tells the story of jonah and the whale. The twelve include hosea, joel, amos, obadiah, jonah, micah, nahum, habakkuk, zephaniah, haggai, zechariah, and malachi. What is the meaning of the biblical story of jonah in. Like the book of jonah, the book of ruth, a masterpiece of storytelling, has a moral lesson, but this lesson may not be the chief reason why the book was written. The author employs structure, humor, hyperbole, irony, double entendre, and literary figures like merism to. It is a story about a hebrew woman named naomi who lives during the period of the judges, prior to the establishment of the monarchy. It tells the story of a hebrew prophet named jonah ben amittai who is sent by god to prophesy the destruction of nineveh but tries to escape the divine mission. The book depicts the larger scope of gods purpose for israel.
The book of jonah was probably written as a reaction to the negative view on foreign peoples found in joel 4. The book of jonah stands unique in the prophetical canon, in that it does not contain any predictions, but simply. The purpose of this book is to show that god is a merciful and gracious god. Jonah is the fifth of the twelve prophets in the book of the twelve in hebrew scripture. And jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Jonah mosaic in aquileia cathedralmosaic of the biblical story of jonah. The book of jonah introduction to the book of jonah in the bible. In the baylor handbook on the hebrew bibles most widely used volume, dennis tucker provides a foundational analysis of the text of jonah.