Monday, October 5, 2020

Yehoshua Gitay on the Ninevites' Belief in, and Trust of God in the Book of Jonah

 

 

. . . 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)

 

Further Reading on Jonah's Prophecy and the Repentance of the Ninevites


Mark W. Elliott on Texts that Speak of God Having a Justifiable Change of Mind and Those that Speak of God Not Changing His Mind


Jonah, Nineveh, and the contingent nature of prophecy


Jonah 3:9-10 and free will


Is It Fair to Compare Joseph Smith with the Prophet Jonah?


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


J.R. Dummelow on the Contingent Nature of Biblical Prophecy

Blog Archive