Chapter 3: A city turns back
Sefer Yonah | Yonah 3:1-10 | Units 6-7
The command is renewed. Nineveh responds, and the narrative distinguishes outward mourning from changed conduct.
Unit 6: The mission accepted (3:1-5)
3:1
Verse
ืึทืึฐืึดื ืึฐืึทืจึพืืณ ืึถืึพืืึนื ึธื ืฉืึตื ึดืืช ืึตืืึนืจื
The word of Hashem came to Yonah a second time, saying:
Radak
ืืืื ืืืจ ืืณ ืื ืืื ื ืฉื ืืช. ืืืจ ืคืืจืฉื ื ืืืขืื ื, ื ืืขื ืฉื ืืช:
โThe word of Hashem came to Yonah a second time.โ We have already explained above, at 1:1, the significance of โa second timeโ.
Key point: The mission comes again. Radak points back to the debate recorded in 1:1; the opening of the book now helps explain its middle.
3:2
Verse
ืงืึผื ืึตืึฐ ืึถืึพื ึดืื ึฐืึตื ืึธืขึดืืจ ืึทืึผึฐืืึนืึธื ืึผืงึฐืจึธื ืึตืึถืืึธ ืึถืชึพืึทืงึผึฐืจึดืืึธื ืึฒืฉืึถืจ ืึธื ึนืึดื ืึผึนืึตืจ ืึตืึถืืึธื
Arise, go to Nineveh, the great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.
Radak
ืงืื, ืืฉืจ ืื ืื ืืืืจ. ืฉืืืจืชื ืืืื ืืืจ ืืื ืขืชื ืื ื ืืืืจ ืืืื ืฉืชืงืจื ืืืื ืฉืชืืื ื ืืคืืช ืขื ืจืขืชื:
โArise โฆ which I tell you.โ Which I have already told you, and which I now tell you again: you are to proclaim to it that it will be overturned because of its wickedness.
Key point: Radak sees continuity between the two commissions: the warning is still that Nineveh will be overturned for its wickedness.
3:3
Verse
ืึทืึผึธืงืื ืืึนื ึธื ืึทืึผึตืึถืึฐ ืึถืึพื ึดืื ึฐืึตื ืึผึดืึฐืึทืจ ืืณ ืึฐื ึดืื ึฐืึตื ืึธืึฐืชึธื ืขึดืืจึพืึผึฐืืึนืึธื ืึตืืึนืงึดืื ืึทืึฒืึทืึฐ ืฉืึฐืึนืฉืึถืช ืึธืึดืืื
Yonah arose and went to Nineveh, in accordance with the word of Hashem. Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a journey of three days across.
Radak
ืืืงื, ืขืืจ ืืืืื ืืืืงืื. ืื ืืืจ ืฉืจืืฆื ืืืืืืื ืกืืื ืืืชื ืืึพื ืืจื ืืืืื ืืื ืืืจืจื ืึพื ืืจืื ืึพื ืฉืืืืช ืึพื ืืืคืืื:
โHe arose โฆ a city great to God.โ Whenever Scripture wishes to magnify something, it attaches it to God as an expression of greatness. Examples are โmountains of Godโ (Tehillim 36:7); โcedars of Godโ (Tehillim 80:11); โa flame of Hashemโ (Shir HaShirim 8:6); and maโpelyah, โdeep darknessโ (Yirmeyahu 2:31).
Key point: โGreat to Godโ is, for Radak, a Hebrew way of expressing extraordinary greatness. It does not mean that Ninevehโs inhabitants are already righteous.
3:4
Verse
ืึทืึผึธืึถื ืืึนื ึธื ืึธืืึนื ืึธืขึดืืจ ืึทืึฒืึทืึฐ ืืึนื ืึถืึธื ืึทืึผึดืงึฐืจึธื ืึทืึผึนืืึทืจ ืขืึนื ืึทืจึฐืึผึธืขึดืื ืืึนื ืึฐื ึดืื ึฐืึตื ื ึถืึฐืคึผึธืึถืชื
Yonah began to enter the city, going a dayโs journey, and proclaimed: In another forty days, Nineveh will be overturned!
Radak
ืืืื ืืื ื. ืื ืืขืืจ ืืืชื ืืืื ืฉืืฉื ืืืื ืื ืืงืฆื ืื ืืงืฆื ืืืื ืืื ื ืืืื ืก ืืขืืจ ืขื ืืืื ืืื ืืืืืชื ืืขืืจ ืืื ืงืืจื ืืืืืจ ืขืื ืืจืืขืื ืืื ืื ืื ืื ื ืืคืืช ืจืืฆื ืืืืจ ืืืืคืืช ืกืืื ืืขืืืจื ืื ืืขืฉืื ืืื ืืืขืฉืืื:
โYonah began.โ The city was a journey of three days from one end to the other. Yonah began to enter the city, going as far as a dayโs journey. As he walked through the city, he proclaimed: โIn another forty days Nineveh will be overturned.โ He meant an overthrow like that of Sedom and Amorah, for their deeds were like the deeds of those cities.
Rashi 3:4 - With the gloss marked in the edition
ื ึถืึฐืคึธึผืึถืช. ื ึถืึฑืจึถืึถืช. (ืึฐืึนื ืึธืึทืจ ื ึถืึฑืจึถืึถืช ืึดึผื ื ึถืึฐืคึธึผืึถืช ืึฐืฉึทืืึตึผืฉื ืฉึฐืืชึตึผื ืึฐืฉืืึนื ืึนืช, ืจึทืข ืึฐืืึนื: ืึดื ืึนื ืึทืขึฒืฉืืึผ ืชึฐืฉืืึผืึธื - ื ึถืึฑืจึถืึถืช, ืึฐืึดื ืึทืขึฒืฉืืึผ ืชึฐืฉืืึผืึธื - ืึธื ื ึถืึฐืคึธึผืึถืช. ืขึทื ืึทื ึฐืฉึตืื ื ึดืื ึฐืึตื ืงึธืึตื ืฉึถืืึทึผืึทืคึฐืืึผ ืึตืจึธืขึธื ืึฐืืึนืึธื ืึฐืึทืขึฒืฉืืึผ ืชึฐืฉืืึผืึธื. ืืืดื ืืจืดืข):
โOverturned.โ Destroyed. [The printed gloss adds:] It does not say โdestroyedโ, because โoverturnedโ can have two meanings, bad and good. If they do not repent, it means destroyed; if they repent, then it means transformed. It refers to the people of Nineveh, who will turn from evil to good and repent. [The source marks this as a gloss: hagahah de-R.A.]
Key point: Radak reads the threatened overthrow against Sedom and Amorah. The gloss printed with Rashi adds a second possibility: Ninevehโs people can themselves be transformed.
3:5
Verse
ืึทืึผึทืึฒืึดืื ืึผ ืึทื ึฐืฉืึตื ื ึดืื ึฐืึตื ืึผึตืืึนืงึดืื ืึทืึผึดืงึฐืจึฐืืึผึพืฆืึนื ืึทืึผึดืึฐืึผึฐืฉืืึผ ืฉืึทืงึผึดืื ืึดืึผึฐืืึนืึธื ืึฐืขึทืึพืงึฐืึทื ึผึธืื
The people of Nineveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least.
Radak
ืืืืืื ื. ืื ืื ืฉื ืืื ืื ืืื ืืขืืจ ืืืขืืื ืขืืื ืื ืืืืืืื ืื ืืื ืืื ืขื ืื ื ืืื ืฉืืื ืืคืืื ืืืืื ื ืื ืืืืชื ืืฉืื ืืชืฉืืื ืฉืืื:
โThey believed.โ The people from the ship were in the city. They testified about him: that they had cast him into the sea, and his whole story as it had happened. Therefore the people believed his prophecy and repented completely.
ืืืงืจืื ืฆืื. ืงืืื ืืืืจืช ืืืื ืขืฉื ืชืฉืืื ืืขืฆืื ืืืชืขื ื ืืืืฉื ืฉืงืื:
โThey proclaimed a fast.โ Before the kingโs warning, they repented on their own initiative, fasted and wore sackcloth.
Key point: In Radakโs explanation, the sailorsโ testimony gives Yonah credibility. Repentance begins among the people before the king commands it.
Questions from the text
- Compare the opening three verses of Chapters 1 and 3. Which phrases recur, and where does Yonahโs action change?
- According to Radak on 3:3, what does โgreat to Godโ mean? How do his biblical examples support that meaning?
- What does Radak understand โoverturnedโ to mean in 3:4? What further meaning does the gloss printed with Rashi suggest?
- Why do the people believe Yonah, according to Radak on 3:5? Does their repentance begin with an order from the king?
Unit 7: What repentance changes (3:6-10)
3:6
Verse
ืึทืึผึดืึผึทืข ืึทืึผึธืึธืจ ืึถืึพืึถืึถืึฐ ื ึดืื ึฐืึตื ืึทืึผึธืงืื ืึดืึผึดืกึฐืืึน ืึทืึผึทืขึฒืึตืจ ืึทืึผึทืจึฐืชึผืึน ืึตืขึธืึธืื ืึทืึฐืึทืก ืฉืึทืง ืึทืึผึตืฉืึถื ืขึทืึพืึธืึตืคึถืจื
The news reached the king of Nineveh. He rose from his throne, removed his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes.
Radak
ืืืืข ืืืืจ. ืืืืจ ืืฉืจ ืืืจ ืื ืืื ืืงืจื ืขื ืืขืืจ:
โThe word reached.โ The message that the prophet had spoken and proclaimed concerning the city.
ืืืจืชื. ืืืจืช ืืืืืื ืฉืขืืื ืืโืช ืืืืฉ ืืงืจืื:
โHis robe.โ The royal robe that he wore. Yonatan translated: โHis garment of honour.โ
Key point: The kingโs actions reverse the signs of royal status: he leaves his throne and exchanges his robe for sackcloth.
3:7
Verse
ืึทืึผึทืึฐืขึตืง ืึทืึผึนืืึถืจ ืึผึฐื ึดืื ึฐืึตื ืึดืึผึทืขึทื ืึทืึผึถืึถืึฐ ืึผืึฐืึนืึธืื ืึตืืึนืจ ืึธืึธืึธื ืึฐืึทืึผึฐืึตืึธื ืึทืึผึธืงึธืจ ืึฐืึทืฆึผึนืื ืึทืึพืึดืึฐืขึฒืืึผ ืึฐืืึผืึธื ืึทืึพืึดืจึฐืขืึผ ืึผืึทืึดื ืึทืึพืึดืฉืึฐืชึผืึผื
He had a proclamation made in Nineveh: By decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither people nor animals, neither cattle nor sheep, taste anything. Let them neither graze nor drink water.
Radak
ืืืืขืง. ืืขืืืจ ืืจืื ืืขืืจ ืขื ืืชืฉืืื ืืืขโืค ืฉืืขื ืืื ื ืืืจืื ืืืืืื ืืืกืืฃ ืขืื ืขื ืื ืืืืื ืืืฉืืช ืืืื:
โHe had a proclamation made.โ He sent a herald through the city about repentance. Although the people were already taking heed of their own accord, he further added the affliction of the animals and the return of stolen property.
ืืืขื ืืืื. ืจืืฆื ืืืืจ ืืขืฆืชื ืืฉืืื ืืื ืืืืืืื ืืื ืืกืืืื ืืื ืืื ืืืขื ืืงื ืื ืืงื ืืฉื ืืชื ืืช ืืขืื ืืืืืืื ืืื ืืชโื ืืืืจืช ืืืื:
โBy the taโam of the king.โ This means by his counsel and understanding: he and all his nobles agreed upon this. Similarly: โHe takes away the discernment of eldersโ (Iyov 12:20); โwhen he changed his behaviourโ (Tehillim 34:1); and similar expressions. Yonatan translated: โBy decree of the king.โ
Key point: Radak asks what the royal decree adds to an existing popular response: the animalsโ affliction and the return of stolen property.
3:8
Verse
ืึฐืึดืชึฐืึผึทืกึผืึผ ืฉืึทืงึผึดืื ืึธืึธืึธื ืึฐืึทืึผึฐืึตืึธื ืึฐืึดืงึฐืจึฐืืึผ ืึถืึพืึฑืึนืงึดืื ืึผึฐืืืึฐืงึธื ืึฐืึธืฉืึปืืึผ ืึดืืฉื ืึดืึผึทืจึฐืึผืึน ืึธืจึธืขึธื ืึผืึดืึพืึถืึธืึธืก ืึฒืฉืึถืจ ืึผึฐืึทืคึผึตืืึถืื
Let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let them call mightily to God, and let everyone turn from their evil way and from the violence that is in their hands.
Radak
ืืืชืืกื, ืืืืงื. ืืื ืื:
โLet them cover themselves โฆ mightily.โ With their whole heart.
ืืืจืื ืืจืขื. ืฉืืจ ืขืืืจืืช:
โFrom his evil way.โ The other transgressions.
ืืื ืืืืก. ืืื ืื ืื ืืืื ืืขืืื ื ืืืจื ืืืจืชื:
โAnd from violence.โ This weighs against all the others, and it was on account of it that their sentence was decreed.
Key point: Radak gives โmightilyโ an inward meaning: with the whole heart. He again singles out violence as the offence on which the decree rests.
3:9
Verse
ืึดืึพืืึนืึตืขึท ืึธืฉืืึผื ืึฐื ึดืึทื ืึธืึฑืึนืงึดืื ืึฐืฉืึธื ืึตืึฒืจืึนื ืึทืคึผืึน ืึฐืึนื ื ึนืืึตืื
Who knows? God may turn and relent, turning from His burning anger, so that we do not perish.
Radak
ืื ืืืืข. ืืืื ืืฉืื ืื ืื ืืืืงืื ืืฉืืืื ื ืืืขืฉืื ื ืืจืขืื ืื ืคืโ ืื ืฉืืืืข ืืจืื ืืชืฉืืื ืืฉืื ืืืืืงืื ืืชืืจื ืื ืื ืืชโื ืืื ืืืข ืืืืช ืืื ืืืืื ืืชืื ืื ืืื ืืืชืจืื ืขืื ื ืื ืงืื ืืณ:
โWho knows?โ Perhaps God will turn and relent when we turn away from our evil deeds. Alternatively, it means: Whoever knows the ways of repentance should repent, and the Blessed One will relent. Yonatan translated: โWhoever knows that he has sins should turn away from them, and mercy will be shown to us from before Hashem.โ
ืื ืื. ืคืชื ืื ืืื ืคืขื ืขืืจ ืืืกื ืืขืชืื ืืคื ื ืืืโื ืืืื ืืื ืื ื ืคืขื:
โAnd relent [veniham].โ It has a patah because it is a past-tense verb turned towards the future by the vav. It is in the nifal conjugation.
Key point: Radak offers both an uncertain hope for mercy and a call to whoever knows how to repent. Neither reading allows the people simply to wait without changing.
3:10
Verse
ืึทืึผึทืจึฐื ืึธืึฑืึนืงึดืื ืึถืชึพืึทืขึฒืฉืึตืืึถื ืึผึดืึพืฉืึธืืึผ ืึดืึผึทืจึฐืึผึธื ืึธืจึธืขึธื ืึทืึผึดื ึผึธืึถื ืึธืึฑืึนืงึดืื ืขึทืึพืึธืจึธืขึธื ืึฒืฉืึถืจึพืึผึดืึผึถืจ ืึทืขึฒืฉืืึนืชึพืึธืึถื ืึฐืึนื ืขึธืฉืึธืื
God saw their deeds, that they had turned from their evil way. God relented concerning the calamity that He had said He would bring upon them, and did not bring it.
Radak
ืืืจื, ืืืจืื ืืจืขื. ืืื ืื ืืจืขืืช ืืื ืืืืก ืฉืื ืืชืฉืืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืฉืืืจื ืจืืืชืื ื ืโื ืื ืฉืืื ืืจืืฉ ืืื ืื ืืืืจื ืืืืื ืืงืขืงืข ืื ืืืืจื ืืืื ืืืืืืจ ืืจืืฉ ืืืขืืื:
โGod saw โฆ from their evil way.โ This includes all their evil deeds. They repented completely of violence and robbery, as our Sages said: If someone had stolen a beam and built it into a great palace, he would demolish the entire palace and return the beam to its owner.
ืืื ืื ืืืืงืื. ืื ืื ืืืจืื ืฉืืืจ ืืืจืข ืืื ื ืืืื ืืชื ืื ืื ืื ืืฉืืื ืืื ืื ืืฉืืื ืืกืื ืืื ืืืื ืืื ืืืืืชืื ืืชโ ืืื ืฉืืืจ ืืชืืจื ืืื ืืืจ ืืจืืืื ืจืืข ืืืืจ ืืืโ ืืื ืืืจ ืืืืงืื ืืืฉืื ืจืฉืข ืืจืฉืขืชื ืืืโ:
โGod relented.โ All His declarations that He will bring harm upon human beings are conditional upon their not repenting; if they repent, He forgives. This is one of His attributes, blessed is He, as He said in the Torah. Yirmeyahu likewise said: โAt one moment I may speakโ, and so forth (18:7); and Yehezkel said: โWhen a wicked person turns from his wickednessโ, and so forth (18:27).
Malbim on Jonah 3:10
ืืืจื ืืืืงืื ืืช ืืขืฉืืื, ืจโื ืฉืชืืื ืฉืฉืื ืื ืฉื ื ืื ืื ืืื ืจืง ืืจืื ืืื ืื ืฉืื ืืืขืฉื ืฉืืชืงื ื ืืืื ืืขืืจ ืขโื ืืขืฉื, ืืื ืืืจ ืคืงืืืช ืืืื ืจืื ืืืงืื ืืช ืื ืืขืฉืืื ืื ืฉืื, ืฉืฉืื ืืืขืฉื ืฉืืฉืืื ืืช ืืืื ืืืช ืืขืฉืง ืืคืืขื, ืืื ืืื ืื ืืืืงืื ืขื ืืจืขื, ืืืื ืฉืื ืฉืื ืจืง ืขื ืืื ืืืื ืื ืขื ืขโื, ืืโื ืืืจ ืฉืืโื ื ืืชื ืขื ืืืื ืืื ืชืงื ื, ืื ืขืฉื ืืช ืืจืขื, ืจโื ืฉืื ืืืชื ืืจืขื ืืืื ืช ืืื ืขืืืื ืืืืข ืขืคโื ืืืขืจืื ืืืชื ืืื ืขืืืื ืื ืื, ืืืจ ืฉืขืื ืขืืื ืขโื ืืืื ืชืืช ืืืขืจืื ืื ืืฉืื ืืณ ืืืืข ืืขืืืื ืขโื, ืืื ืืืจ ืฉืืฆื ืืืืข ืื ืืืชื ืืจืขื ืขืชืืื ืืื ืขืืืื ืจืง ืืณ ืืขื ืืขืฉืืช ืืจืข ืขโื ืขืื ืฉ ืืฉืืืื, ืืืฉืฉืื ืขื ืืื ืืื ืื ืขืฉื, ืืื ืืื ืืืชื ืื ืขื ืคื ืืืืข ืืืืขืจืื:
โGod saw their deeds.โ At first, the people of Ninevehโs return consisted only of regret; they had not returned through action, repairing the previous sin by a deed. After the kingโs command, however, God saw all their deeds, that they had returned: they returned through action, actually restoring what they had stolen and extorted. Therefore โGod relented concerning the calamityโ. Although they had repented only of robbery, not of idolatry, the sentence had been sealed on account of robbery, and this they had corrected. Thus โHe did not bring the calamityโ. Had the calamity been naturally due to come upon them according to the celestial order, it would have come even then: since they still worshipped idols and were subject to that order, Hashem would not override nature for idolaters. But the calamity was not naturally due to occur; Hashem had intended to bring it as a punishment through particular providence. When they repented of robbery, He did not bring it, leaving them to the operation of nature and the celestial order.
Key point: The decisive evidence is changed conduct. Radak says that a warning of punishment is conditional; Malbim adds that Nineveh corrected robbery while retaining idolatry. Keep their formulations distinct.
Chapter in view
The people respond before the royal decree. The decree adds concrete requirements, and the decisive verse speaks of their deeds. Radak explains that a prophecy of punishment allows for repentance; the warning achieves its purpose when the people change.
Questions from the text
- What does the king add to the peopleโs existing response, according to Radak on 3:7?
- Compare Radak on 1:2 and 3:8. Why is violence singled out both when the danger begins and when the people repent?
- What are Radakโs two readings of โWho knows?โ in 3:9? Who is to โturnโ in each reading?
- What action does Radakโs example of the stolen beam illustrate in 3:10? What does the verse say God saw?
- How does Radak explain the withdrawal of the threatened punishment? What sin does Malbim say remains, and why does that not bring about this particular punishment?