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And the [a]people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a (A)fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then the word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, laid aside his mantle from him, (B)covered himself with sackcloth, and sat on the [b]ashes. And he (C)cried out and said,

“In Nineveh by the [c]decree of the king and his nobles[d]: Do not let man, [e]animal, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat, and do not let them drink water.

But both man and [f]animal must be covered with sackcloth; and let [g]men (D)call on God with their strength that each may (E)turn from his evil way and from the violence which is in [h]his hands.

(F)Who knows, God may turn and relent and turn away from His burning anger so that we will not perish.”

10 Then God saw their works, that they (G)turned from their evil way, so (H)God [i]relented concerning the evil which He had spoken He would [j]bring upon them. And He did not [k]bring it upon them.

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Footnotes

  1. Jonah 3:5 Lit men
  2. Jonah 3:6 Or dust
  3. Jonah 3:7 Lit taste, cf. 3:7b
  4. Jonah 3:7 Lit saying
  5. Jonah 3:7 Lit beast, cattle
  6. Jonah 3:8 Lit beast, cattle
  7. Jonah 3:8 Lit them
  8. Jonah 3:8 Lit their
  9. Jonah 3:10 Or regretted, cf. 1 Sam 15:11, 29, 35
  10. Jonah 3:10 Lit do
  11. Jonah 3:10 Lit do

Nineveh Repents

The men of Nineveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least. When word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh.

By the decree of the king and his leading officials:

Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything. Do not let them eat food or drink water. Instead, let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call fervently to God. Let them turn from their evil way and from the violence that is in their hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent. He may turn from his burning anger so that we will not perish.

10 When God saw their actions, that they had turned from their evil way, God relented from the disaster which he said he would bring on them, and he did not carry it out.

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