The
people of Nineveh believed God; and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from their greatest even to their least.
Jonah 3:5
Jonah 3 [3.] So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, according to Yahweh’s word. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey across. Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried out, and said, “In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!”
Jonah 3 [5.] The people of Nineveh believed God; and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from their greatest even to their least. The news reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. He made a proclamation and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, “Let neither man nor animal, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink water; but let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and animal, and let them cry mightily to God. Yes, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?”
Jonah 3 [10.] God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. God relented of the disaster which he said he would do to them, and he didn’t do it.
Meaning:
Jonah had run from God’s call, been swallowed by a great fish and brought back to dry land. Then “Yahweh’s word came to Jonah the second time, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I give you.’” (Jonah 3:1-2). Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, Israel’s cruel enemy, later described as “the bloody city! It is all full of lies and robbery” (Nahum 3:1).
- “The people of Nineveh believed God”
Jonah’s message was short and contained no promise of mercy: “In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!” Yet the people believed it as a word from God. Their faith came first; the outward signs followed.
- “they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth”
Fasting and sackcloth were signs of mourning and humility. The king himself left his throne, put on sackcloth and sat in ashes, and ordered everyone to “turn everyone from his evil way.” This is the kind of repentance the prophets called for: “turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning” (Joel 2:12).
- “from their greatest even to their least”
The whole city responded, from the king and nobles to the poorest. They hoped, “Who knows whether God will not turn and relent?” God saw their works and spared them. Jeremiah describes the same principle: “if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them” (Jeremiah 18:8). Jonah himself had feared this outcome: “for I knew that you are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and you relent of doing harm” (Jonah 4:2).
- Jesus and the men of Nineveh
Jesus held up Nineveh as a rebuke to his own generation: “The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, one greater than Jonah is here” (Luke 11:32; Matthew 12:41).
The Significance of Jonah 3:5
- God’s mercy reaches enemies
God cared for a pagan city that had harmed his people. His compassion is wider than human prejudice.
- Repentance needs no delay
The Ninevites heard one brief warning and acted at once. Those who have heard far more, the words of Jesus himself, have every reason to respond in faith.
Cross-References:
Luke 11:32: “for they repented at the preaching of Jonah.” Nineveh as a witness.
Matthew 12:41: “and behold, one greater than Jonah is here.” The greater message.
Jeremiah 18:8: “if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil.” God responds to repentance.
Jonah 4:2: “you are a gracious God, and merciful.” Jonah’s complaint.
Conclusion: Nineveh believed God’s warning, and from the king to the least of the people they fasted and put on sackcloth. God relented, showing his mercy to a hostile nation. Jesus pointed to their repentance as a challenge to all who hear his greater message.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible