son of Amittai, the fifth of the minor prophets, was born at
Gath-hepher, in Galilee. He is generally considered as the most ancient
of the prophets, and is supposed to have lived B. C. 840. The book of
Jonah is chiefly narrative. He relates that he was commanded by God to
go to Nineveh, and preach against the inhabitants of that capital of the
Assyrian empire; that, through fear of executing this commission, he set
sail for Tarshish; and that, in his voyage thither, a tempest arising,
he was cast by the mariners into the sea, and swallowed by a large fish;
that, while he was in the belly of this fish, he prayed to God, and was,
after three days and three nights, delivered out of it alive; that he
then received a second command to go and preach against Nineveh, which
he obeyed; that, upon his threatening the destruction of the city within
forty days, the king and people proclaimed a fast, and repented of their
sins; and that, upon this repentance, God suspended the sentence which
he had ordered to be pronounced in his name. Upon their repentance, God
deferred the execution of his judgment till the increase of their
iniquities made them ripe for destruction, about a hundred and fifty
years afterward. The last chapter gives an account of the murmuring of
Jonah at this instance of divine mercy, and of the gentle and
condescending manner in which it pleased God to reprove the prophet for
his unjust complaint. The style of Jonah is simple and perspicuous; and
his prayer, in the second chapter, is strongly descriptive of the
feelings of a pious mind under a severe trial of faith. Our Saviour
mentions Jonah in the Gospel, Matt. xii, 41; Luke xi, 32. See NINEVEH
and GOURD.
Gath-hepher, in Galilee. He is generally considered as the most ancient
of the prophets, and is supposed to have lived B. C. 840. The book of
Jonah is chiefly narrative. He relates that he was commanded by God to
go to Nineveh, and preach against the inhabitants of that capital of the
Assyrian empire; that, through fear of executing this commission, he set
sail for Tarshish; and that, in his voyage thither, a tempest arising,
he was cast by the mariners into the sea, and swallowed by a large fish;
that, while he was in the belly of this fish, he prayed to God, and was,
after three days and three nights, delivered out of it alive; that he
then received a second command to go and preach against Nineveh, which
he obeyed; that, upon his threatening the destruction of the city within
forty days, the king and people proclaimed a fast, and repented of their
sins; and that, upon this repentance, God suspended the sentence which
he had ordered to be pronounced in his name. Upon their repentance, God
deferred the execution of his judgment till the increase of their
iniquities made them ripe for destruction, about a hundred and fifty
years afterward. The last chapter gives an account of the murmuring of
Jonah at this instance of divine mercy, and of the gentle and
condescending manner in which it pleased God to reprove the prophet for
his unjust complaint. The style of Jonah is simple and perspicuous; and
his prayer, in the second chapter, is strongly descriptive of the
feelings of a pious mind under a severe trial of faith. Our Saviour
mentions Jonah in the Gospel, Matt. xii, 41; Luke xi, 32. See NINEVEH
and GOURD.