v It emphasizes the divine origin of Jonah’s proclamation (“the Word of Yahweh came to Jonah a second time…). The message he is to communicate is not his own; it comes from God. The “word” (in Hebrew dbr) both as a noun and a verb not only figures prominently within the narrative of Jonah, but gains momentum as the events unfold. God’s word gets things going in 1:1 and even when it is ignored it comes “a second time” (3:1). In 3:2 Yahweh commands Jonah to “proclaim the message which I am speaking to you.” In 3:3 Jonah arises and goes to Nineveh according to Yahweh’s word. It is this word the prophet delivers in 3:4 while it reaches the king in 3:6 and brings about a massive conversion! Then in 3:10 God changes his mind and his word of judgment is changed. With the fulfillment of the gospel word in chapter three Jonah expresses his word of anger in 4:2. The contrast between Yahweh’s word and that of Jonah’s is ongoing. Yahweh’s word of the gospel for the Ninevites finally overrides all of Jonah’s words. Indeed, in the book of Jonah God has the last word, and it is a word of salvation!

v This time, he did as he was told (3:3)! There are several possible reasons why Jonah obeyed the second time. It may be that he finally realized he could not escape from Yahweh. Another possibility is that Jonah may have been hoping that the Ninevites would not respond and therefore be destroyed (cf. 4:1–2). In light of his very brief sermon (only five words in Hebrew!), which contains no call to repentance and says nothing about escape or salvation, we might even suspect Jonah is attempting to steer the Ninevites to destruction! Or, if we put the best construction on the prophet’s motives, he may be going to the great city because of his renewed faith, having been saved from the death he knew he deserved.

v The NRSV uses the word “overthrown”, but the Hebrew word is somewhat ambiguous here and is better translated, “changed.” How will Nineveh be changed? Jonah likely would have understood his message to be one of impending doom, the kind that befell Sodom (the same word is used in Gen 19:25, 29). On the other hand, the Ninevites took it as a warning that they would perish (Jonah 3:9) so they all believed in God (Jonah 3:5). The verb, then, refers to a radical reversal from one extreme to another. For example, Moses states that “Yahweh your God turned for you the curse [of Balaam] into a blessing, because Yahweh your God loves you” (Deut 23:5); similar is Neh 13:2. In Hosea 11:8, it refers to a loving change in God’s own heart from anger to compassion. Thus, “Yet in forty days Nineveh is about to be changed” could refer to its destruction like Sodom and Gomorrah or to its change from impenitent wickedness to repentance and faith. Whether the city disregards the warning and is destroyed or repents and is spared, Jonah’s oracle will come true. Change is on the way!

v Yahweh commands Moses to confront Pharaoh and set the Israelites free. Pharaoh’s heart is hardened.

v Elijah challenges Ahab and the prophets of Baal. Ahab calls Elijah “the troubler in Israel” (1 Ki 18:17).

v Amos confronts Amaziah (the priest of King Jeroboam II) and predicts his death along with the death of Jeroboam II and the exile of the Northern Kingdom. Amaziah tells Amos to leave the kingdom, immediately!

v John the Baptist rebukes adulterous Herod and loses his head for such preaching, literally!

v In these incidents, the prophet’s message is lengthy and impassioned, yet he is completely ignored or angrily rejected. A surprising reversal of this common scene takes place in Jonah 3. Jonah the prophet is neither eloquent nor impassioned. He speaks only one sentence (3:4) and addresses it to no one in particular. He does not mention the crimes of the city or its king, nor does he describe the imminent punishment in any detail. We might expect Jonah to begin with the call “Repent!” (cf. Ezek 14:6; 18:30; Mt 3:2; 4:17), but in fact he does not issue an imperative of any sort. And yet Jonah is far from being repudiated or renounced. The king and his constituents respond in the customary acts of repentance, extended in an unheard-of way even to their animals. Ironically the only one angry at the end is the prophet Jonah! And this is an ongoing theme in the Book of Jonah; the insider Jonah often appears clueless while the outsiders and even animals respond to Yahweh’s word with faith and joy!

v Forgiving somebody doesn’t necessarily mean they will not face consequences for their sin. For example, if somebody breaks the law, they may be forgiven. Christ died for all sins; the guilt of that sin is forgiven. However, the legal consequences of breaking the law will still be enforced. For example, a wife may forgive her husband for getting a speeding ticket, but he will still have to go to court, driving school, pay fines, etc.