1 Now the word of the Loʀᴅ came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to AZeph 2:13Nineveh the great city and BJer 1:17; Ezek 2:7proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.” 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Loʀᴅ. Now Nineveh was 1Lit a great city to Godan AJon 1:2; 4:11exceedingly great city, a three days’ walk. 4 Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he AMatt 12:41; Luke 11:32cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

5 Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a ADan 9:3; Joel 1:14fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. 6 When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, AEsth 4:1-4; Jer 6:26; Ezek 27:30, 31covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the 1Or dustashes. 7 He issued a A2 Chr 20:3; Ezra 8:21; Jon 3:5proclamation and it said, “In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. 8  “But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let 1Lit themmen APs 130:1; Jon 1:6, 14call on God earnestly that each may BIs 1:16-19; 55:6, 7; Jer 18:11turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in 2Lit theirhis hands. 9  “A2 Sam 12:22; Joel 2:14Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.”

10 When God saw their deeds, that they A1 Kin 21:27-29; Jer 31:18turned from their wicked way, then BEx 32:14; Jer 18:8; Amos 7:3, 6God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would 1Lit dobring upon them. And He did not do it.