Who Was Jonah and What Happened to Him?
Who Was Jonah and What Happened to Him? Jonah was a prophet who fled from God's command to preach to Nineveh, was swallowed by a great fish, and ultimately obeyed—leading the entire city to repent.
Key verse: Jonah 2:10 (KJV)
Jonah was a prophet who fled from God's command to preach to Nineveh, was swallowed by a great fish, and ultimately obeyed—leading the entire city to repent.
Jonah was a prophet who fled from God's command to preach to Nineveh, was swallowed by a great fish, and ultimately obeyed—leading the entire city to repent.
"And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land." — Jonah 2:10 (KJV)
Meaning
Plain-language explanation
In Context
Surrounding KJV scripture
Related Verses
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The Biblical Answer
God called Jonah to preach repentance to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria—Israel's enemy. Instead, Jonah fled by ship toward Tarshish. God sent a violent storm, and when the sailors cast Jonah overboard at his own suggestion, God prepared a great fish to swallow him. After three days and nights in the fish's belly, Jonah prayed and was vomited onto dry land. He then obeyed, preaching to Nineveh, and remarkably the entire city repented—from the king to the poorest citizen. Yet Jonah was angry at God's mercy toward his enemies. God used a plant and a worm to teach Jonah about divine compassion. Jesus cited Jonah's three days in the fish as a sign pointing to His own death and resurrection (Matthew 12:40).
Key Scripture References
"And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land."
"And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them."
"For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Related Questions
What Is Repentance?
Repentance is a genuine change of mind and heart about sin, turning away from it and toward God.
Who Was Melchizedek in the Bible?
Melchizedek was a mysterious king of Salem and priest of the Most High God who blessed Abraham and received tithes from him.
Who Was Abraham in the Bible?
Abraham was the father of the Jewish nation, called by God from Ur of the Chaldees, and known as the 'father of faith.'
Who Was Moses?
Moses was the great deliverer and lawgiver of Israel who led the Exodus from Egypt and received the Ten Commandments from God.
Who Was King David?
David was the shepherd boy who became Israel's greatest king, known as 'a man after God's own heart' and an ancestor of Jesus Christ.
Deep Dive Commentary
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Read it in context
The answer above sits inside Jonah. The 365-day chronological plan reads it in the order the events happened.
Read Jonah on day 176 of the chronological Bible reading planKeep the verses to hand
Every verse quoted in “Who Was Jonah and What Happened to Him?” comes from the King James Version, free to download and print.
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