# The book of Jonah

> Jonah is told to preach to Nineveh, the capital of Israel’s enemy, and runs the other way. A storm, a great fish, and a second chance follow. When Nineveh repents and God spares it, Jonah is angry.

Source: https://www.lumin.faith/read/jonah/about
Section: Minor prophets · 4 chapters

## Who wrote Jonah?

The book is about Jonah son of Amittai, a prophet in the 700s BC, but does not say who wrote it. Many scholars date the writing later.

## When was it written?

Set in the 700s BC. Writing dated from then to after the exile.

## Main themes

- **God’s mercy reaches enemies.** God cares about Nineveh and its people.
- **You cannot outrun God.** Jonah runs, and God follows.
- **God questions our anger.** The book ends with God’s question, left for the reader.

## Outline

- Chapter 1: [Jonah runs](https://www.lumin.faith/read/jonah/1)
- Chapter 2: [Jonah’s prayer from the fish](https://www.lumin.faith/read/jonah/2)
- Chapter 3: [Nineveh repents](https://www.lumin.faith/read/jonah/3)
- Chapter 4: [Jonah’s anger and God’s question](https://www.lumin.faith/read/jonah/4)

## Key verses

Quoted from the Lumin Translation.

> But I, with a voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to Yahweh!
> — [Jonah 2:9](https://www.lumin.faith/read/jonah/2#9)

> He prayed to Yahweh, Please, Yahweh, is this not what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I hurried to flee to Tarshish. For I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and one who relents from sending disaster.
> — [Jonah 4:2](https://www.lumin.faith/read/jonah/4#2)

> Should I not care about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 people who do not know their right hand from their left, and many animals as well?
> — [Jonah 4:11](https://www.lumin.faith/read/jonah/4#11)

## Where to start

Four short chapters. Read it straight through, and don’t skip chapter 4. [Read Jonah 1](https://www.lumin.faith/read/jonah/1.md)

Read the whole book: https://www.lumin.faith/read/jonah/1.md
Ask about it: https://www.lumin.faith/ask.md