The Book of Jonah


The Book of Jonah

Background of Jonah
Time: Set: Pre-Northern Dispersion (Pre-722BCE); written: Persian Period
Place: Travelling
Kings: Jeroboam II (786–746 BCE)? (II Kings 14:25)






Political Backdrop:

·       Assyrians are primary political threat


Primary Themes of Jonah:

·       Justice, Mercy, and the Power of Teshuvah

·       Universalism and Nationalism

·       Topsy-Turvy
o   The prophet disobeys God; the foreign pagans obey
o   Jonah runs from his mission, but is the most successful prophet in Jewish history

·       The Genre of Jonah
o   Prophetic Literature?
o   Satire?
o   Parable?
o   Meta-Prophetic Literature?




Structure of Jonah


Content
Verses
Section I: Jonah Flees Mission
Chapter 1
Jonah is called
1:1-2
Jonah flees toward Tarshish
God sends a tempest
Gentile sailors interact with Jonah, cast him overboard, and worship God
1:3
1:4 onwards
1:5-16


Section II: Jonah in the Fish
Chapter 2
Jonah swallowed by the fish
2:1
Jonah prays to God
2:2-10
God saves Jonah
2:11


Section III: Jonah Fulfils Mission
Chapter 3
Take Two!
3:1-2
Jonah goes to Nineveh and proclaims its destruction (five words)
3:3-4
The Ninevites believe and repent!
3:5-9
God is merciful
3:10


Section IV: Jonah Argues with God
Chapter 4
Jonah explains that God’s mercy is why he left!
4:2
Jonah asks for death
4:3
God provides a kikon and then takes it away
Jonah asks for death again
4:4-9
4:9
God explains that the kikon was a metaphor for Nineveh
4:10-11





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