Jonah

Also known as: Jonah son of Amittai

Prophet · The Reluctant Prophet

Jonah son of Amittai is the only prophet in scripture who explicitly ran from God's commission. When God commanded him to "go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it" (Jonah 1:2), Jonah fled in the opposite direction — boarding a ship to Tarshish. God sent a great storm, and the terrified sailors cast lots to find the cause; the lot fell on Jonah. He told them to throw him overboard, and "the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights" (Jonah 1:17). From inside the fish, Jonah prayed, and God commanded the fish to vomit him onto dry land. This time Jonah obeyed and preached to Nineveh: "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown" (Jonah 3:4). The entire city repented — from the king to the cattle — and God relented from the threatened destruction. Jonah was furious at God's mercy toward Israel's enemy: "I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness" (Jonah 4:2). Jesus cited Jonah's three days in the fish as a sign of his own burial and resurrection (Matthew 12:40).

Key Events

1Fled from God's call — boarded ship to Tarshish
2Thrown overboard — swallowed by a great fish for three days
3Preached to Nineveh: "40 days and Nineveh shall be overthrown"
4All of Nineveh repented — God relented from judgment
5Angry at God's mercy: "I knew thou art gracious and merciful"
6Jesus cited Jonah as sign of his death and resurrection

What Scripture Says (17 verses)

2 Kings 14:25

He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.

2 Kings · Chapter 14

Jonah 1:1

Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

Jonah · Chapter 1

Jonah 1:3

But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

Jonah · Chapter 1

Jonah 1:5

Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

Jonah · Chapter 1

Jonah 1:7

And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

Jonah · Chapter 1

Jonah 1:15

So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

Jonah · Chapter 1

Jonah 1:17

Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Jonah · Chapter 1

Jonah 2:1

Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly,

Jonah · Chapter 2

Jonah 2:10

And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.