. . . attention
should be given to the Ninevites’ response: they “believed God” (3:5). Jonah
addressed these people without mentioning God and concealing his role, yet they
“believe God.” The term “believe” invites further elaboration.
This term occurs in
at least two other situations that ordinarily invite the opposite reaction: Gen
15:6 and Isa 7:9. Abraham, old and childless, was asked to believe in a promise
considered to be absurd in terms of human nature and reason: “Look toward
heaven and count the stars . . . so shall your descendants be” (Gen 15:5-6). But
Abraham believed and God “reckoned it to him as righteousness” (v. 6). The
other case revolves around a conflict between the prophet Isaiah and King Ahaz.
Jerusalem is under siege, and the king and his house are in panic; yet Isaiah
bids him to avoid any political-military act, to calm down, and to believe (Isa
7:1-9). In this case, the king followed his human instincts and reasoning
rather than the transcendental belief. The Ninevites, however, show their
greatness in believing God in spite of the problematic prophetic call. Indeed,
their belief in God is the core of the book. As a matter of fact, the Ninevites
are not the first—in the course of the book—to respond constructively to God.
During the storm in the sea, both Jonah and the sailors recognized God’s
physical dominion over nature and consequently his control over their fate.
Their recognition is conveyed via the linguistic-religious term of submission:
the fear of God (1:4-10). Notice, however, that the narrative employs
the same word both for the instinct of human fear (because of the dangerous storm)
and the fear of God:
and such a mighty
storm came upon the sea that the ship threatened to break up. Then the sailors were
afraid. (1:4-5)
“I am a Hebrew,” he
replied, “I fear [yr’] the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and
dry land.” (1:9)
But the language of
the Ninevites regarding their attitude toward God differs: they believe (3:5)—they
do not fear. J. Pedersen’s definition of he’ĕmîn is worth quoting:
To make a man true, he’ĕmîn,
means the same as to rely on him. It implies confidence . . . The weaker
members of the covenant help to uphold the stronger by their confidence. They make
him true, i.e. firm, sure and strong. (See J. Pedersen, Israel: Its Life
and Culture [4 vols. reprinted in 2; London: Oxford University, 1963-64]
1-2.347)
The Ninevites’ belief
in God reflects their confidence and true trust rather than the demonic fear of
the sailors and even Jonah. Their complete repentance is fully accepted. (Yehoshua
Gitay, “Jonah: The Prophecy of Antirhetoric,” in Astrid B, Beck, Andrew H.
Bartelt, Paul R. Raabe, and Christ A. Franke, eds., Fortunate the Eyes that
See: Essays in Honor of David Noel Freedman in Celebration of His Seventieth
Birthday [Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1995],197-206, here, pp. 204-5)
Adam Clarke on the Contingent Nature of Prophecy
D.E. Hart-Davies: The Book of Jonah and God Changing His Mind as a Result of Human Repentance
R.B. Girdlestone (1901) on Conditional Prophecies
Reformed Protestant Apologist on God "Relenting" in the Book of Jonah