Jonah

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Jonah 1:1):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיְהִי דְּבַר־יְהוָה אֶל־יוֹנָה בֶן־אֲמִתַּי לֵאמֹר

Transliteration:

wayᵉhî dᵉbar-YHWH ʾel-yônâ ben-ʾᵃmittay lēʾmōr

Translation (Baldwin):

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah, son of Amittai:

Comment by Joyce Baldwin in An Exegetical and Expository Commentary on the Minor Prophets: Jonah (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993):

וַיְהִי (now .... came): This idiomatic expression begins several books in the Old Testament .... דְּבַר־יְהוָה אֶל־יוֹנָה (the word of the LORD [came] to Jonah): .... Jonah, meaning "dove," is identified as בֶן־אֲמִתַּי (son of Amittai), but the writer tells us nothing more about him (...).

Glossary (meanings in this context):

וַיְהִי (wayᵉhî) : consecutive וַ (wa) + Qal imperfect of ‏הָיָה (hāyâ) : and ... came.
דְּבַר (dᵉbar) : construct of ‏דָּבָר (dābār) : the word of.
יְהוָה (YHWH) : the LORD.
אֶל (ʾel) : preposition : to.
יוֹנָה (yônâ) : Jonah.
בֶן (ben) : construct of ‏בֵּן (bēn) : the son of.
אֲמִתַּי (ʾᵃmittay) : Amittai.
לֵאמֹר (lēʾmōr) : preposition ‏לְ (lᵉ) + Qal infinitive construct of ‏אָמַר (ʾāmar) : saying.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Jonah 1:2a):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏קוּם לֵךְ

Transliteration:

qûm lēk

Translation (Baldwin):

Up! Go!

Comment by Joyce Baldwin in An Exegetical and Expository Commentary on the Minor Prophets: Jonah (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993):

The use of direct speech enables the author to give the ipsissima verba of the LORD: קוּם (up!, literally arise) ― the word conveys urgency ― and לֵךְ (go!).

Glossary (meanings in this context):

קוּם (qûm) : Qal imperative 2 m.s. of קוּם (qûm) : arise!
לֵךְ (lēk) : Qal imperative 2 m.s. of ‏הָלַךְ (hālak) : go!

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Jonah 1:2b):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏אֶל־נִינְוֵה הָעִיר הַגְּדוֹלָה

Transliteration:

ʾel-nînᵉwê hāʿîr haggᵉdôlâ

Translation (Baldwin):

to the great city of Nineveh

Comment by Joyce Baldwin in An Exegetical and Expository Commentary on the Minor Prophets: Jonah (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993):

These imperatives demand an immediate and lengthy journey to the great city of Nineveh, a principle city and last capital of Assyria before the destruction in 612 B.C. .... The adjective גְּדוֹלָה (great), usually applying mainly to size (...), would hardly have been applicable to Jerusalem (Jer. 22:8) or to Gibeon (Josh. 10:2) in this sense (...). Rather the word points to the status of the city as a royal capital.

Glossary (meanings in this context):

אֶל (ʾel) : preposition : to.
נִינְוֵה (nînᵉwê) : proper name : Nineveh.
הָעִיר (hāʿîr) : definite article + noun עִיר (ʿîr) : the city.
הַגְּדוֹלָה (haggᵉdôlâ) : definite article + feminine of ‏גָּדוֹל‎ (gādōl) : the great.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Jonah 1:2c):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וּקְרָא עָלֶיהָ

Transliteration:

ûqᵉrāʾ ʿālêhā

Translation (Baldwin):

and make a proclamation about it

Comment by Joyce Baldwin in An Exegetical and Expository Commentary on the Minor Prophets: Jonah (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וּקְרָא עָלֶיהָ (and make a proclamation about it): ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏עַל (about) means "on" or "upon" (contrast 3:2, where the preposition is ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏עֶל, toward); but the two are frequently interchanged (...). ....

Glossary (meanings in this context):

וּקְרָא (ûqᵉrāʾ) : conjunction וּ (û) + Qal imperative 2 m.s. of ‏קָרָא (qārāʾ) : and proclaim.
‏עָלֶיהָ (ʿālêhā) : preposition ‏‏עַל (ʿal) + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix : concerning it.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Jonah 1:2d):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏כִּי־עָלְתָה רָעָתָם לְפָנָי

Transliteration:

kî-ʿālᵉtâ rāʿātām lᵉpānāy

Translation (Baldwin):

because its calamity has come to my notice.

Comment by Joyce Baldwin in An Exegetical and Expository Commentary on the Minor Prophets: Jonah (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏עָלְתָה (has come) is third-person feminine singular qal of ‏עָלָה (to go up). God goes on to explain to Jonah why he is to go: ‏רָעָתָם (its calamity). The author employs the term in its different nuances. If calamity is intended here, without excluding the inference of wrongdoing, Jonah would have been more likely to be reminded of God's mercy and forgiveness (see 4:2). .... ‏לְפָנָי (to my notice, literally, before my face). All that happens in Nineveh, and by inference in every other place also, rises up and comes to the notice of Israel's God.

Glossary (meanings in this context):

כִּי (kî) : because.
רָעָתָם (rāʿātām) : noun ‏רָעָה (rāʿâ) + pronominal 3 m.p. suffix : their evil/calamity/misfortune.
עָלְתָה (ʿālᵉtâ) : Qal perfect 3 f.s. of ‏עָלָה (ʿālâ) : has come up.
לְפָנָי (lᵉpānāy) : preposition לְ (lᵉ) + noun ‏פָּנֶה (pāneh) + pronominal suffix : to my face.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Jonah 1:3a):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיָּקָם יוֹנָה לִבְרֹחַ

Transliteration:

wayyāqām yônâ librōaḥ

Translation (Baldwin):

so Jonah got up to run away

Comment by Joyce Baldwin in An Exegetical and Expository Commentary on the Minor Prophets: Jonah (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993):

In the light of that, Jonah's reaction is all the more astonishing: ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיָּקָם יוֹנָה לִבְרֹחַ (so Jonah got up to run away; literally, he rose to flee), using the infinitive of purpose.

Glossary (meanings in this context):

יוֹנָה (yônâ) : Jonah.
וַיָּקָם (wayyāqām) : consecutive וַ (wa) + Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of ‏קוּם (qûm) : but he rose.
לִבְרֹחַ (librōaḥ) : preposition ‏לְ (lᵉ) + Qal infinitive construct of ‏בָּרַח (bāraḥ) : to flee.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Jonah 1:3b):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏תַּרְשִׁישָׁה

Transliteration:

taršı̂šâ

Translation (Baldwin):

toward Tarshish

Comment by Joyce Baldwin in An Exegetical and Expository Commentary on the Minor Prophets: Jonah (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993):

Tarshish was somewhere in the western Mediterranean.

Glossary (meanings in this context):

תַּרְשִׁישָׁה (taršı̂šâ) : proper name ‏תַּרְשִׁישׁ (taršîš) + directional ה (he) : toward Tarshish.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Jonah 1:3c):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏מִלִּפְנֵי יְהוָה

Transliteration:

millipnê YHWH

Translation (Baldwin):

from the LORD's presence

Comment by Joyce Baldwin in An Exegetical and Expository Commentary on the Minor Prophets: Jonah (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993):

Jonah, like Cain, (Gen 4:16), associates the LORD's presence with the place where the LORD had spoken to him, hence his panic-stricken attempt to run away.

Glossary (meanings in this context):

מִלִּפְנֵי (millipnê) : prep. ‏מִן (min) + prep. ‏לְ (lᵉ) + pl. cstr. of ‏פָּנֶה (pāneh) : from before the face of.
‏יְהוָה (YHWH) : the LORD.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Jonah 1:3d):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיֵּרֶד יָפוֹ

Transliteration:

wayyēred yāpô

Translation (Baldwin):

And he went down to Joppa

Comment by Joyce Baldwin in An Exegetical and Expository Commentary on the Minor Prophets: Jonah (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993):

וַיֵּרֶד (and he went down): This verb is repeated again in this verse, verse 5, and 2:7[6]. Jonah is on a downward path, spiritually as well as literally. Joppa, the nearest port to Jerusalem (...), known today as Jaffa, was twice as far from Gath-hepher as Acco or Tyre, if that is where Jonah was at the time of his call. The road to Joppa takes him in the opposite direction, away from Nineveh.

Glossary (meanings in this context):

וַיֵּרֶד (wayyēred) : consecutive וַ (wa) + Qal imperfect of ‏יָרַד (yārad) : and he went down.
יָפוֹ (yāpô) : [to] Joppa.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Jonah 1:3e):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיִּמְצָא אָנִיָּה בָּאָה תַרְשִׁישׁ

Transliteration:

wayyimṣāʾ ʾānîâ bāʾâ taršîš

Translation (Baldwin):

found a ship about to leave for Tarshish

Comment by Joyce Baldwin in An Exegetical and Expository Commentary on the Minor Prophets: Jonah (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993):

אָנִיָּה (a ship): This noun is feminine; the masculine form ‏אֳנִי means a fleet of ships (1 Kings 9:26). בָּאָה, a feminine singular qal active participle, agrees with the noun, and is future instans, thus, "about to leave."

Glossary (meanings in this context):

וַיִּמְצָא (wayyimṣāʾ) : consecutive וַ (wa) + Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of ‏מָצָא (māṣāʾ) : and found.
‏אָנִיָּה (ʾānîâ) : a ship.
‏בָּאָה (bāʾâ) : Qal f.s. participle of ‏‏בּוֹא (bôʾ) : about to leave.
‏תַרְשִׁישׁ (taršîš) : proper name : [for] Tarshish.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Jonah 1:3f):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיִּתֵּן שְׂכָרָהּ

Transliteration:

wayyittēn śᵉkārâh

Translation (Baldwin):

paid the fare

Comment by Joyce Baldwin in An Exegetical and Expository Commentary on the Minor Prophets: Jonah (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993):

שְׂכָרָהּ (the fare; literally, her price): Although the word ship is feminine, one would expect "paid his fare," which is what the Septuagint has: τὸ ναῦλον αὐτοῦ.

Glossary (meanings in this context):

וַיִּתֵּן (wayyittēn) : consecutive וַ (wa) + Qal imperfect of ‏נָתַן (nātan) : and gave/paid.
שְׂכָרָהּ (śᵉkārâh) : noun ‏שָׂכָר (śākār) + pronominal 3 f.s. suffix : her payment/fare.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Jonah 1:3g):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיֵּרֶד בָּהּ

Transliteration:

wayyēred bâh

Translation (Baldwin):

and went aboard

Comment by Joyce Baldwin in An Exegetical and Expository Commentary on the Minor Prophets: Jonah (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993):

וַיֵּרֶד בָּהּ (and went aboard): Although the verb וַיֵּרֶד (went aboard) is idiomatic here, the use of the word meaning "to go down" is quite deliberate.

Glossary (meanings in this context):

וַיֵּרֶד (wayyēred) : consecutive וַ (wa) + Qal imperfect of ‏יָרַד (yārad) : and went down.
בָּהּ (bâh) : preposition ‏בְּ (bᵉ) + pronominal 3 f.s suffix : into it.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Jonah 1:3h):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏לָבוֹא עִמָּהֶם

Transliteration:

lābôʾ ʿimmāhem

Translation (Baldwin):

intending to go with them

Comment by Joyce Baldwin in An Exegetical and Expository Commentary on the Minor Prophets: Jonah (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993):

עִמָּהֶם (with them): The pronoun lacks a grammatical antecedent, but the reference is clearly to the ship's company.

Glossary (meanings in this context):

לָבוֹא (lābôʾ) : preposition ‏לְ (lᵉ) : Qal infinitive construct of ‏בּוֹא (bôʾ) : to go.
‏עִמָּהֶם (ʿimmāhem) : preposition ‏‏עִם (ʿim) + pronominal 3 m.s. suffix : with them.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Jonah 1:3h):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏תַּרְשִׁישָׁה מִלִּפְנֵי יְהוָה

Transliteration:

taršîšâ millipnê YHWH

Translation (Baldwin):

to Tarshish from the LORD's presence.

Comment by Joyce Baldwin in An Exegetical and Expository Commentary on the Minor Prophets: Jonah (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993):

תַּרְשִׁישָׁה מִלִּפְנֵי יְהוָה (to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD): The repetition "to Tarshish from the LORD's presence" makes verse 3, which begins with the same phrase, an outstanding example of chiasmus, with these words serving as a kind of bracket around the whole, to emphasize the enormity of Jonah's rebellion. The threefold use of Tarshish reinforces Jonah's disobedience.

Glossary (meanings in this context):

תַּרְשִׁישָׁה (taršîšâ) : proper name ‏תַּרְשִׁישׁ (taršîš) + directional ‏ה (he) : to Tarshish.
מִלִּפְנֵי (millipnê) : prep. ‏מִן (min) + prep. ‏לְ (lᵉ) + plural construct of ‏פָּנֶה (pāneh) : from the presence of.
יְהוָה (YHWH) : the LORD.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Jonah 1:4a):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיהוָה הֵטִיל

Transliteration:

waYHWH hēṭîl

Translation (Baldwin):

But the LORD hurled

Comment by Joyce Baldwin in An Exegetical and Expository Commentary on the Minor Prophets: Jonah (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993):

וַיהוָה (but the LORD): is in the emphatic position at the beginning of the sentence, and הֵטִיל (hurled), a hiphil perfect, interrupts the narrative sequence to call attention to the LORD's intervention. Although the root ‏טול (to hurl) is not common, it occurs four times in this chapter, as though what the LORD sets in motion others are obliged to do (see 5, 12, 15).

Glossary (meanings in this context):

וַיהוָה (waYHWH) : conjunction וַ (wa) + proper name ‏יהוה (YHWH) : but the LORD.
הֵטִיל (hēṭîl) : Hiphil perfect 3 m.s. of הֵטִיל (hēṭîl) : hurled.