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约拿遵命

耶和华的话再次临到约拿,说: “起来!到尼尼微大城去,向其中的居民宣告我所吩咐你的话。” 约拿就动身,照耶和华的话往尼尼微去了,这尼尼微是一座极大的城(“是一座极大的城”或译:“在 神面前是一座大城”),要三天才能走完。

尼尼微人悔改得救

约拿进城,走了一天,就宣告说:“再过四十天,尼尼微就要毁灭了。”

尼尼微人信了(“信了”或译:“信服”) 神,就宣告禁食,从大到小,都穿上麻衣。 这事传到尼尼微王那里,他就起来,离开宝座,脱去王袍,披上麻衣,坐在炉灰中。 他又传谕全尼尼微,说:“王和大臣有令:‘人、畜、牛、羊,都不准尝甚么,不准吃,也不准喝。 不论人畜,都要披上麻衣;各人要恳切呼求 神,悔改,离开恶行,摒弃手中的强暴。 或者 神回心转意,不发烈怒,使我们不致灭亡。’”

10  神看见他们所作的,就是悔改离开恶行, 神就转意,不把所说的灾祸降在他们身上了。

An Unforeseen Success

Chapter 3

The word of the Lord then came to Jonah for a second time: “Set out for the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message that I give you.”[a] Therefore, Jonah set out and journeyed to Nineveh in obedience to the command of the Lord.

Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city; it required three days simply to walk across it. Jonah began his journey into the city, walking for an entire day. Then he proclaimed, “After forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown.” The people of Nineveh believed this message from God. They proclaimed a fast, and everyone, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat down in ashes. Then he had this proclamation delivered throughout Nineveh: “Neither man nor beast, neither herd nor flock, is to eat anything. Do not allow them to eat or drink. Every man and beast is to be covered with sackcloth. Let all cry out with fervor to God, and let them turn from their evil ways and their violent behavior. Who knows? Perhaps God may change his mind and relent, and his fierce anger may abate, so that we will not perish.”

10 When God saw by their actions that they had turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not inflict upon them the punishment that he had threatened.

Footnotes

  1. Jonah 3:2 Nineveh is described as a city of very unlikely size. The story required that this very pagan city be immense.

Jonah Goes to Nineveh

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah(A) a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming,(B) “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.(C)

When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust.(D) This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh:

“By the decree of the king and his nobles:

Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink.(E) But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call(F) urgently on God. Let them give up(G) their evil ways(H) and their violence.(I) Who knows?(J) God may yet relent(K) and with compassion turn(L) from his fierce anger(M) so that we will not perish.”

10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented(N) and did not bring on them the destruction(O) he had threatened.(P)