Jonah and Yunus
A prophet who fled, was swallowed, and then preached.
AI-generated artistic depiction (no historical imagery exists)
Jonah, son of Amittai, is a prophet from Gathhepher (2 Kings 14:25) to whom the word of the LORD came (Jonah 1:1). He is known for fleeing from the LORD's presence to Tarshish (Jonah 1:3), being cast into the sea and swallowed by a great fish (Jonah 1:15, Jonah 1:17), and later delivering a message of judgment to Nineveh (Jonah 3:3-4). The name Yunus is the Arabic form of Jonah, used in Islamic tradition, though the passages here only refer to him as Jonah.
Lore & Background
Jonah first appears as the servant of the LORD through whom God spoke regarding the restoration of Israel's coast (2 Kings 14:25). The book of Jonah begins with the LORD commanding Jonah to cry against Nineveh, but Jonah instead flees to Tarshish (Jonah 1:1-3). During a storm at sea, the mariners cast lots and the lot falls on Jonah (Jonah 1:7); they throw him overboard, and the sea calms (Jonah 1:15). The LORD then prepares a great fish to swallow Jonah, who remains in its belly three days and three nights (Jonah 1:17).
Reader's Guide
The passages portray Jonah as a reluctant prophet whose disobedience leads to divine intervention through natural elements. He cries out from the belly of hell and is heard (Jonah 2:2), then prays from the fish's belly (Jonah 2:1). After the fish vomits him onto dry land (Jonah 2:10), the word of the LORD comes a second time (Jonah 3:1), and Jonah obeys, preaching Nineveh's overthrow in forty days (Jonah 3:4). His anger at God's mercy is shown when he is displeased that Nineveh is spared (Jonah 4:1), and he sits east of the city to see what will happen (Jonah 4:5). God prepares a gourd to shade him, then a worm and east wind to teach him about compassion (Jonah 4:6-8). Jonah insists he is right to be angry even unto death (Jonah 4:9).
Did You Know?
- Jonah is identified as the son of Amittai and a prophet from Gathhepher (2 Kings 14:25, Jonah 1:1).
- He fled to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, paying fare on a ship at Joppa (Jonah 1:3).
- The lot fell on Jonah after the mariners cast lots to find who caused the storm (Jonah 1:7).
- Jonah was in the belly of the great fish three days and three nights (Jonah 1:17).