Jonah

Jonah , prophetic book of the Bible. It tells the story of a prophet called by God to preach repentance to the city of Nineveh. According to the Second Book of Kings, Jonah lived during the reign (c.786 BC-c.746 BC) of Jeroboam II. In the story, Jonah flees because he does not want Nineveh to be spared and knows that God is likely to forgive its people if they repent. The book summons post-exilic Israel not to forget God's intention to bless the world through God's people. Allusions to the story occur in the New Testament, where it serves to prefigure the resurrection of Jesus.

Bibliography: See studies by L. C. Allen (1978), D. Stuart (1987), and J. M. Sasson (1990). See also bibliography under Old Testament.

Jonah Fifth of the 12 minor prophets and central character in the Old Testament Book of Jonah. This book relates how Jonah disobeyed God's command to preach to the Gentiles in Nineveh. He attempted to flee from the Assyrian capital in a ship, but was thrown overboard in a storm and swallowed by a whale. Three days later, Jonah was regurgitated alive on shore. He repented and carried out God's commandment.