Jon 3:5-9 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Jonah 3:5-6: 3:5-6 For the second time in this short book, pagans respond favorably to the Lord (cp. 1:16 ). • In ancient Israel, fasting would often accompany prayer and repentance in times of distress (see 2 Sam 1:12 ; Neh 1:4 ). Wearing burlap and sitting on a heap of ashes would often accompany mourning and sorrowful repentance (see Gen 37:34 ; Job 16:15 ; Lam 2:10 ). The Assyrians apparently had similar customs. These activities allowed the participants to express their grief in a tangible way for all, including God, to see. • The repentance of the Ninevites was an indictment against the hard-hearted in Jesus’ day (Matt 12:41 ).

a3:5-6►

b1:16►

c2 Sam 1:12►

dNeh 1:4►

eGen 37:34►

fJob 16:15►

gLam 2:10►

hMatt 12:41►

i3:6►

j2 Kgs 19:9-13►

k3:7-8►

‏ Jonah 3:5-9

Summary for Jonah 3:5-6: 3:5-6 ^a For the second time in this short book, pagans respond favorably to the Lord (cp. 1:16 ^b).

• In ancient Israel, fasting would often accompany prayer and repentance in times of distress (see 2 Sam 1:12 ^c; Neh 1:4 ^d). Wearing burlap and sitting on a heap of ashes would often accompany mourning and sorrowful repentance (see Gen 37:34 ^e; Job 16:15 ^f; Lam 2:10 ^g). The Assyrians apparently had similar customs. These activities allowed the participants to express their grief in a tangible way for all, including God, to see.

• The repentance of the Ninevites was an indictment against the hard-hearted in Jesus’ day (Matt 12:41 ^h).
3:6 ⁱ The king of Nineveh was either an unknown governor of the city or perhaps the king of Assyria, who might have used Nineveh as a regular seat of government (cp. 2 Kgs 19:9-13 ^j).
Summary for Jonah 3:7-8: 3:7-8 ^k By extending the fast and the mourning rituals to animals, the king communicated that this dire emergency required all normal operations to cease so that everyone might pray earnestly and repent of their evil ways. The violence that had come to permeate their society topped the list.