Jonah Chapter 1
And the speech of Yehovah was unto Dove [Yonah] son of My-Two-Truths [Amee-tai] to say, 2 “Arise! Walk unto Neen-vay the big city! And call upon her that their bad ascended to my faces!” 3And Dove [Yonah] arose to flee to Tarsheesh from the faces of Yehovah!
And he descended to Yaffo. And he found a ship. She went to Tarsheesh. And he gave her wage. And he descended into her to come with them to Tarsheesh from the faces of Yehovah.
4And Yehovah threw a big wind unto the sea! And a big storm was in the sea! And the ship thought to be broken! 5And the saltees feared! And they screamed, a man unto his gods! And they threw the utensils that are in the ship unto the sea to lighten from upon them. And Dove [Yonah] descended unto the thighs of the wainscoting. And lay down. And he slept.
6And the great-one of the company approached unto him. And he said to him, “What is to thee, sleeper? Arise! Call unto thy gods! Perhaps the gods will gleam to us, and we will not perish!”
7And they said, a man unto his neighbour, “Go-ye! And we have thrown-down lots. And we have known on account of whom this bad is to us!” And they threw-down lots. And the lot fell upon Dove [Yonah].
8And they said unto him, “Tell to us, na, via what—for whom this bad is to us. What is thine errand? And from where wilt thou come? What is thy land? And where from this—a people—art thou?” 9And he said unto them, “I am Hebrew. And I fear Yehovah Gods of the heavens Who made the sea and the dry!” 10And the men feared a big fear!
And they said unto him, “What is this thou hast done?” For the men knew that he fled from the faces of Yehovah, because he told to them. 11And they said unto him, “What will we do to thee, and the sea has calmed from upon us?” For the sea is walking and tempestuous. 12And he said unto them, “Lift ye me, and throw me unto the sea. And the sea has calmed from upon you. For I know that this big tempest is upon you on account of me!”
13And the men dug to return unto the dry. And they were not able. For the sea is walking and tempestuous upon them. 14And they called unto Yehovah! And they said, “Oh, Yehovah! We, na, will not perish via the being of this man! And do not give innocent blood upon us! For Thou, Yehovah, Thou hast done just as Thou hast desired!”
15And they lifted Dove [Yonah]. And they threw him unto the sea. And the sea stood from his rage! 16And the men feared Yehovah a big fear! And they sacrificed a sacrifice to Yehovah. And they vowed vows.
I. Walking Orders (verses 1-3)
Yehovah told Yonah the son of Ameetai to arise and walk unto the big city of Nineveh. He must loudly call upon the city that the bad of its citizens ascended to Yehovah’s faces. Upon hearing this, Yonah arose to flee to Tarshish which is in the opposite direction! He desired to get away from the faces of Yehovah.
Questions
1. What does Yonah mean?
2. If Ameetai means My two truths, to what would these truths refer?
3. How far was Nineveh from Israel?
4. Why did Yehovah desire Yonah to walk to the big city of Nineveh instead of riding?
5. How long would a journey of this distance take by foot if a person can walk 25 miles in a day, staying as a guest at each stop for one day?
6. Why was the size of Nineveh so unusual back then?
7. To what does bad refer in, “And call upon her that their bad ascended to my faces”?
8. Why did Yehovah say that their bad ascended to His faces? What does that mean?
9. Why did Yonah arise to flee to Tarshish, which is in the opposite direction? What did he have against obeying Yehovah?
10. Why does the text read, “And Yonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the faces of Yehovah” instead of “And Yonah arose to flee to Tarshish from Yehovah”?
11. Where is Tarshish?
II. Going on a Cruise (verse 3)
Yonah went down to Yaffo in Israel. He found and boarded a ship going to Tarshish; he paid the passenger fare. He went below deck to travel with them to Tarshish from the faces of Yehovah.
Questions
1. Where is Yaffo?
2. What does Yaffo mean?
3. What does “and he gave her wage” mean?
4. Who is her in, “And he descended into her”?
5. Identify them in, “…to come with them to Tarshish…”:
6. Did Yonah really think that he could escape from the faces of Yehovah?
III. The Violent Storm (verses 4-5)
Yehovah threw a big wind unto the sea! That was a terrific storm. Those in the ship thought it would be broken. The saltees (sailors) feared. Each saltee screamed to his own gods.
They then started throwing items overboard in order to lighten the ship.
Yonah went down into the hold of the ship, into the wainscoting. He lay down and went to sleep!
Questions
1. Why did Yehovah throw a big wind unto the sea?
2. Why did He add a big storm?
3. Whenever there are big winds and storms at sea, does Yehovah cause them?
4. What does “the ship thought to be broken” mean?
5. What is a saltee?
6. How many different gods did the sailors use?
7. Why did the sailors scream? Were they that easily made frightened?
8. What are utensils?
9. What is wainscoting?
10. What are the thighs of the wainscoting?
11. Why did Yonah descend unto the thighs of the wainscoting to lay down and to sleep?
12. How could he sleep though this motion and danger?
IV. Join Us in Prayer! (verse 6)
The captain over the sailors approached Yonah. He said to him, “What is to thee, sleeper? Arise! Call unto thy gods! Perhaps the gods will gleam at us, and we will not perish!”
Questions
1. Who is the great one of the company?
2. How did the great one of the company find Yonah?
3. What gods did the captain think that Yonah had?
4. What does “gleam to us” mean?
5. If the gods will gleam on them, according to the captain, what will happen?
V. Lots of Dice (verse 7)
Each man on board spoke to others about throwing dice to find out who is responsible for this bad situation. They did so; the dice indicated that Yonah was responsible.
Questions
1. What are lots in the Bible?
2. Where lots good indicators of the will of the gods or of Yehovah?
3. The sailors seemed certain that they could determine who was responsible for “this bad” being to them by casing lots. Were they right to be so certain?
4. How could they throw down lots when the winds were tossing the ship so hard, that it was about to be broken in pieces?
5. By what process did they use the dice to determine that Yonah was the one?
VI. The Interrogation and Fear (verses 8-10)
The men said to Yonah, “Tell to us, na, via what—for whom this bad is to us? What is thine errand? And from where wilt thou come? What is thy land? And where from this—a people—art thou?” His response was, “I am Hebrew. And I fear Yehovah Gods of the heavens Who made the sea and the dry!” This caused the men to greatly fear.
Questions
1. What does na mean in Hebrew?
2. Why does the sentence, “Tell to us, na, via what—for whom this bad is to us” seem so broken up?
3. What did they mean by, “Tell to us, na, via what…”?
4. What did they mean by, “Tell to us for whom this bad is to us”?
5. What did they mean by, “What is thine errand?”
6. What did they mean by, “And from where wilt thou come? What is thy land?”
7. What did they mean by, “And where from this—a people—art thou?”
8. Which of their questions did Yonah answer when he said, “I am a Hebrew”?
9. What does being a Hebrew mean?
10. Which of their questions was Yonah answering when he said, “And I fear Yehovah Gods of the heavens Who made the sea and the dry”?
11. Why did the men fear a big fear when they heard Yonah’s answer?
VII. The Solution (verses 10-12)
Now the men wanted to know what Yonah had done to bring this wrath on them all. Yonah had told them that he fled from the faces of Yehovah. They therefore asked the question, “What will we do to thee, and the sea has calmed from upon us?” The sea kept on walking—with huge waves—and was tempestuous—very violent.
Yonah gave them the steps: “Lift ye me, and throw me unto the sea. And the sea has calmed from upon you. For I know that this big tempest is upon you on account of me!”
Questions
1. What did they mean by, “What is this thou hast done?”
2. Why did Yonah tell the men that he fled from the faces of Yehovah?
3. What were they asking Yonah when they asked, “What will we do to thee, and the sea has calmed from upon us?”
4. What does “For the sea is walking and tempestuous” mean?
5. Who said, “For the sea is walking and tempestuous”?
6. Why did Yonah say, “Lift ye me, and throw me unto the sea. And the sea has calmed from upon you”? Was he trying to get himself killed?
7. How did Yonah know that this would calm the sea?
8. Why would Yehovah sink a ship, kill all the crew, and cause great loss of the items being shipped just because one person isn’t doing what He wants? Is this fair?
VIII. The Attempt and the Plea (verses 13-14)
The men dug with their oars, pulling as hard as they could to get to dry land. They could not. The Ship didn’t move toward land. The sea walked with huge waves, and the violent winds kept them out at sea.
The men then called to Yehovah. The started with, “Oh, Yehovah! We, na, will not perish via the being of this man!” They didn’t want to die because of what Yonah had done.
They then said, “And do not give innocent blood upon us!” They didn’t want to be held responsible for killing Yonah.
They reminded Yehovah, “For Thou, Yehovah, Thou hast done just as Thou hast desired!”
Questions
1. What did they dig?
2. What does “to return unto the dry” mean?
3. Why weren’t they able (to return to shore)?
4. Why does the text repeat, “For the sea is walking and tempestuous upon them”?
5. Why did the sailors call to Yehovah? Didn’t they still have their own gods?
6. What did the sailors mean by, “Oh, Yehovah! We, na, will not perish via the being of this man”?
7. What did they mean by, “And do not give innocent blood upon us”?
8. What where they saying when they said, “For Thou, Yehovah, Thou hast done just as Thou hast desired”?
IX. Man Overboard! (verses 15-16)
The sailors lifted Yonah, and they threw him unto the sea! The sea immediately stopped raging! The waters became calm.
The men feared Yehovah with a very big fear. They sacrificed a sacrifice to Yehovah on the ship, and they vowed vows to Yehovah.
Questions
1. What does “And the sea stood from his rage” mean?
2. Was the sea truly enraged?
3. Does the sea really think and act like a person?
4. Why did the men fear Yehovah with a big fear?
5. How did they do a sacrifice to Yehovah when they were onboard the ship?
6. What is the purpose of doing a sacrifice?
7. What did they vow, and why did they vow?
8. What is a vow?
9. Does this mean that the sailors became fearers of Yehovah, including obtaining salvation from their sins and getting everlasting life?
Jonah Chapter 2
1And Yehovah measured a big fish to swallow Dove [Yonah]. And Dove [Yonah] was in the internals of the fish three days and three nights.
2And Dove [Yonah] rolled-himself unto Yehovah his Gods from the internals of the fish. 3And he said, “I called unto Yehovah from tribulation to me! And He answered/humbled me! I screamed from the belly of Sheol! Thou didst hearken-to my voice!
4 “Thou didst sling me submerged into the heart of the seas. And a river will surround me! All thy breakers and thy waves crossed-over upon me. 5And I, I said I’ve been forced-out from straight-in-front-of Thine eyes! But I will accrue to look unto the Temple of Thy Holy-One!
6 “Waters encircled me unto a being! The deep will surround me! A reed was wrapped to my head. 7I descended the land with her bars to the cuttings of the mountains for my sake to Hider. And Thou hast made-my-lives-ascend from destruction, Yehovah my Gods, 8when my being fainted upon me. I remembered Yehovah! And my rolling came unto Thee—unto the Temple of Thy Holy-One!
9 “Guards of breaths of vanity shall forsake their grace!
10 “And I, I will sacrifice to Thee via the voice of confession! I will make peace what I vowed!”
“Her Salvation is to Yehovah!”
11And Yehovah said to the fish, and he vomited Dove [Yonah] unto the dry.
I. Kosher Fish (verse 1)
Yehovah measured a big fish (so that Yonah would fit) to swallow Yonah. Yonah was inside this fish three days and three nights.
Questions
1. Why did Yehovah have to measure the big fish?
2. What is significant about his being in the fish three days and three nights?
II. Prophetic Prayer (verses 2-3)
Yonah rolled himself (giving details as he prayed) unto Yehovah his Gods from inside the fish.
He said, “I called unto Yehovah from tribulation to me!” He was in the Tribulation.
“And He answered/humbled me!” Yehovah responded by both answering and humbling him.
“I screamed from the belly of Sheol!” He was in Sheol, and thus was dead.
“Thou didst hearken-to my voice!” Thus, whatever he asked was granted.
Questions
1. Was Yonah alive in the internals of the fish, or was he dead?
2. What did Yonah mean by, “I called unto Yehovah from tribulation to me”? Was Yonah being put into tribulation (trouble)?
3. What does “And He answered/humbled me” mean, and what will occur?
4. What is so important about humility?
5. Yonah said, “I screamed from the belly of Sheol.” Where is Sheol, and was Yonah there?
6. Yonah said, “I screamed from the belly of Sheol! Thou didst hearken-to my voice!” What did Yehovah do?
III. The Sub-Marine (verses 4-5)
“Thou didst sling me submerged into the heart of the seas.” He was slung underwater, and was submerged into the heart of the seas (plural).
“And a river will surround me!” He will be surrounded by some river!
“All thy breakers and thy waves crossed-over upon me.” Not just a few breakers and wavers, but all Yehovah’s breakers and waves crossed over upon him.
“”And I, I said I’ve been forced-out from straight-in-front-of Thine eyes!” He figured that Yehovah shoved him out of His sight; Yehovah did not desire to see him.
“But I will accrue to look unto the Temple of Thy Holy-One!” He knows that he will look unto the Temple of Yehovah’s Holy One (the Holy One of Israel).
Questions
1. Was Yonah slung into the heart of the seas by Yehovah?
2. What does “Thou didst sling me submerged into the heart of the seas” describe?
3. What does “And a river will surround me” describe?
4. What will occur for “All thy breakers and thy waves crossed-over upon me” to happen?
5. What does “And I, I said I’ve been forced-out from straight-in-front-of Thine eyes” mean?
6. What does accrue mean?
7. Explain “I will accrue to look unto the Temple of Thy Holy One”:
IV. More Death; More Resurrection (verses 6-8)
“Waters encircled me unto a being!” Those waters are there to take away his life, and he cannot escape from them.
“A reed was wrapped to my head.” That reed is a water plant by the shore.
“I descended the land with her bars to the cuttings of the mountains for my sake to Hider.” He went down the land; she hemmed him in on both sides forcing him to go through the mountain passes that were cut out by erosion. This was for his sake as he went to Hider—to the God Who hides Himself, to the period of time that isn’t recorded in the Bible.
“And Thou hast made-my-lives-ascend from destruction, Yehovah my Gods, when my being fainted concerning me.” Yehovah his Gods caused him to escape alive from destruction just when his being, his life fainted on top of him.
“I remembered Yehovah!” He remembered this God, this Hope.
“And my rolling came unto Thee—unto the Temple of Thy Holy-One!” His detailed prayer came unto Yehovah—until the Temple of Yehovah’s Holy One of Israel.
Questions
1. What does “Waters encircled me unto a being” mean?
2. What deep will surround her?
3. What reed was wrapped to her head?
4. What does “I descended the land with her bars” mean?
5. What are the cuttings of the mountains?
6. Why was this descending for the speaker’s sake?
7. What does to Hider mean?
8. What does the speaker mean by, “I descended the land with her bars to the cuttings of the mountains for my sake to Hider”?
9. What occurred next, described by, “And Thou hast made-my-lives-ascend from destruction, Yehovah my Gods”?
10. Why is lives plural?
11. What does Yehovah mean?
12. Why is Gods plural?
13. The speaker continued, “And Thou hast made-my-lives-ascend from destruction, Yehovah my Gods, when my being fainted upon me.” What occurs if the being faints upon the speaker?
14. The speaker then said, “I remembered Yehovah!” What is so significant about this?
15. What is this rolling that come unto Yehovah?
16. What is this Temple?
17. Who is this Holy One?
18. What occurred if the speaker’s rolling came unto Yehovah and until the Temple of Yehovah’s Holy One?
V. Damned Lifeguards (verse 9)
“Guards of breaths of vanity shall forsake their grace!” Those who try to save their own lives will reject the Grace of God.
Questions
1. What are breaths of vanity?
2. What does grace and “shall forsake their grace” mean?
3. What must a person do that is the opposite of guarding his/her own breaths of vanity?
VI. Sacrifice, Confession and Peace (verse 10)
“And I, I will sacrifice to Thee via the voice of confession!” He will once again do sacrifice to Yehovah, but this time via confessing!
“I will make peace what I vowed!” He will keep his vows by doing what he said in the vow.
“Her Salvation is to Yehovah!” Yehovah is the one who owns and is responsible for his being’s Salvation!
Questions
1. Why is ‘I’ mentioned twice?
2. What is confession?
3. What is the voice of confession?
4. Why is this voice of confession some kind of sacrifice?
5. What does “I will make peace what I vowed” mean?
6. Who is her in, “Her Salvation is to Yehovah”?
7. What does “Her Salvation is to Yehovah” mean?
8. Who said, “Her Salvation is to Yehovah”?
VII. Fish Puke (verse 11)
Yehovah said something to the fish. The fish responded by vomiting Yonah toward the dry land.
Questions
1. What did Yehovah say to the fish?
2. Where did the fish vomit Yonah?
3. What did Yonah smell like?
4. What did Yonah do once he was vomited on the shore?
Jonah Chapter 3
1And the speech of Yehovah was unto Dove [Yonah] a second time to say, 2 “Arise! Walk unto Neenvey the big city! And call unto her the calling that I spoke unto thee!”
3And Dove [Yonah] arose. And he walked unto Neenvey according to the speech of Yehovah.
And Neenvey was a big city to Elohim, three days’ walk.
4And Dove [Yonah] began to come into the city a one-day walk. And he called. And he said, “Forty days more, and Neenvey is flipped-over!” 5And the men of Neenvey believed in Elohim!
And they called a shutting! And they put-on sacks from their big and unto their little.
6And the speech struck unto the king of Neenvey. And he arose from his chair. And he crossed-over his splendour from upon him. And he covered sack. And he sat upon the ash. 7And he screamed! And he said in Neenvey from the taste of the king and his big-ones to say, “The man and the beast, the herd and the flock shall not taste anything! They shall not pasture, and they shall not drink water! 8And the man and the beast covered themselves sacks! And they called unto Elohim via a grip! And they turned, a man, from his bad way and from the violence that is in their palms! 9Who will know? The Elohim will turn and console, and He will turn from the heat of His nose. And we will not perish!”
10And the Elohim saw their works—that they turned from their bad way. And the Elohim was consoled concerning the bad that He spoke to do to them. And He did not.
I. Walking Orders Again(verse 1-2)
Yehovah’s speech came to Yonah a second time. He told him to arise and to walk unto the big city of Nineveh, and to shout unto her what Yehovah told him previously to call.
Questions
1. Why didn’t Yehovah tell Yonah off for disobeying and wasting time?
2. What was the original calling that Yehovah had commanded Yonah?
II. Travel Nineveh (verse 3)
Yonah arose from the shore. He walked unto Nineveh just as Yehovah spoke to him.
Questions
1. Why did Yonah arise and walk this time?
2. How far was Nineveh?
3. How long was the walk?
III. The Big City (verse 3)
Elohim Himself saw Nineveh as a big city. It took three days to walk through it!
Questions
1. How many miles is a three-day walk?
2. What kind of a city can be this big? What is it called?
3. What is important about this being a big city to Elohim?
IV. Doomsday Announcement (verses 4-5)
Yonah just began to come into the city; he walked into it a distance that one can walk in a full day. He shouted the message of Yehovah: “Forty days more, and Neenvey is flipped-over!” The inhabitants of Nineveh believed in Elohim!
Questions
1. How many miles is a one-day walk?
2. What did Yonah call?
3. What had Yehovah told him to call?
4. Did Yonah disobey Yehovah’s command again?
5. Did Yonah give them any hope? Did he tell them that they could repent?
6. Who are the folks today who are the offspring of the Ninevites?
7. The text states, “And the men of Niveveh believed in Elohim.” What caused them to believe in Elohim? Was Elohim their God?
8. Why is this event so important in the Bible?
9. Was does believe mean in the Bible?
V. Sackcloth and Closing Time (verse 5)
The people of Nineveh called for a closing of the mouth! This included no food intake! They put on sackcloth from the highest ranking persons to the lowest, from the biggest person to the littlest.
Questions
1. What is a shutting?
2. What are these sacks?
3. Why did they put on this sackcloth?
4. Did they put sacks on their little babies?
VI. The Royal Response (verses 6-9)
The king finally heard the message, and it struck him hard. He got up from his chair (throne) and changed his gorgeous garments, putting on sackcloth. He sat down in ash. And he screamed!
He gave commands according to the normal way that commands are given: “The man and the beast, the herd and the flock shall not taste anything!” He gave more details: “They shall not pasture, and they shall not drink water!” Thus, the animals had to be restricted from all food and all water.
“And the man and the beast covered themselves sacks!” Every man and every animal had to be covered with sackcloth in the entire land!
“And they called unto Elohim via a grip!” They must call unto Elohim without ceasing, gripping (holding on) to continue with this call!
“And they returned, a man, from his bad way and from the violence that is in their palms!” Every person must turn from the bad and from the violence that is in the very palms of their hands—over which they have control!
“Who will know? The Elohim will return and console, and He will return from the heat of His nose. And we will not perish!” There isn’t any certainty, but perhaps the Gods will turn and bring consolation instead of devastation! Perhaps He will turn from the great heat of His nose (anger). Perhaps the inhabitants of Nineveh will not perish!
Questions
1. What does “the speech struck unto the king” mean?
2. Why did he arise from his chair?
3. What does “And he crossed-over his splendour from upon him. And he covered sack” mean?
4. What does “he sat upon the ash” mean? Where did he get the ash?
5. What would sitting on ash do, and what did this picture?
6. Why did the king scream?
7. What does “he said in Nineveh from the taste of the king and his big-ones to say” mean?
8. Why did they command man and beast to not taste anything?
9. Why did he command them all to not drink water?
10. The text states, “And the man and the beast covered themselves sacks.” How did the animals manage to cover themselves? Why did they do this?
11. What does “via a grip” mean?
12. From what bad way did they turn?
13. What does “violence that is in their palms” mean?
14. What does “Who will know? The Elohim will turn…” mean?
15. Why did they take this threat so seriously?
16. The text states, “Who will know? The Elohim will turn and console.” What does this last part mean, and what is consolation?
17. What is “the heat of His nose”?
18. What would be required in order for the citizens of Nineveh to not perish?
VII. Seeing and Not Doing (verse 10)
Elohim saw their works! He saw that they turned from doing the bad things they had been doing. And Elohim was consoled about the bad that He had spoken that He would do to them. He didn’t do it.
Questions
1. What did Elohim see that was important to Him?
2. What does “the Elohim was consoled concerning the bad that He spoke to do to them” mean?
3. The last statement is, “And He did not.” He did not what?
Jonah Chapter 4
1And he-was-bad unto Dove [Yonah]: a big bad! And heat was to him! 2And he rolled himself unto Yehovah. And he said, “Ah, Yehovah! Isn’t this my speech unto my being upon my soil? Therefore I anticipated to flee to Tarshish! For I knew that Thou art a Mighty-[One] of favour and wombing, long of noses and multiple of Grace and consolation concerning the bad! 3And now, Yehovah, take, na, my being from me! For my death is better than my life!”
4And Yehovah said, “Is the heat good for thee?”
5And Dove [Yonah] exited from the city. And he sat from the east to the city. And he made a Succah there for himself. And he sat under her in the shadow until he will see what will be in the city.
6And Yehovah Elohim measured a Kikayon-plant. And he ascended from above to Dove [Yonah] to be a shadow upon his head, to rescue him from his bad. And Dove [Yonah] rejoiced a big rejoicing concerning the Kikayon-plant.
7And the Elohim measured a worm at the ascending of the dawn for the next day. And she smote the Kikayon. And he withered. 8And he was as the sunrising of the sun. And Elohim measured a cutting, east wind. And the sun attacked upon the head of Dove [Yonah]. And he made-himself-wilt. And he asked his being to die. And he said, “My death is better than my life!”
9And Elohim said unto Dove [Yonah], “Is the heat good for thee concerning the Kikayon-plant?” And he said, “The heat is good for me unto death!” 10And Yehovah said, “Thou, thou didst have pity upon the Kikayon in which thou didst not labour and did not make big, that was the son of a night. And he perished the son of a night. 11And I, I will not pity over the big city Neenveh in whom there are many more than 120,000 of Adam who did not know between his right to his left, and multiplied cattle?”
I. Frustrated to Death (verses 1-3)
Yehovah’s decision to turn from the destruction of Nineveh was a very bad decision to Yonah. He prayed a detailed prayer to express this. He said, “Ah, Yehovah! Isn’t this my speech unto my being upon my soil?” This is what Yonah told Yehovah while he was still in the Land of Israel.
“Therefore I anticipated to flee to Tarshish!” This is why he fled to Tarshish; he knew in advance that this would occur!
“For I knew that Thou art a Mighty-[One] of favour and wombing…” Yonah knew that this is the type of a Mighty One Yehovah is: He is quick to show favour and to womb—that is, to take one who needs help and consolation, and bring that one to His womb, as in His lap, to console him/her.
“…long of noses…” He doesn’t anger very quickly; He waits a long time to respond in great anger.
“…and multiple of Grace and consolation concerning the bad!” He many times over will demonstrate a very strong zeal on behalf of a person or group to do that person or group much good, and to be consoled Himself concerning the bad He would have done if the person or group hadn’t turned.
“And now, Yehovah, take, na, my being from me! For my death is better than my life!” He wants Yehovah to cause him to die. His death is better than his continuing to live under these circumstances.
Questions
1. What was such a big bad to Yonah?
2. What did Yonah view it this way?
3. What does “And he rolled himself unto Yehovah” mean?
4. What does “Ah, Yehovah! Isn’t this my speech unto my being upon my soil” mean?
5. What did he mean by, “Therefore I anticipated to flee to Tarshish”?
6. What does “I knew that Thou art a Mighty One of favour” mean?
7. What does “I knew that Thou art a Mighty One of wombing” mean?
8. What does “long on noses” mean?
9. What does “multiple of Grace” mean?
10. What does “multiple of consolation” mean?
11. Explain “concerning the bad” in, “For I knew that Thou art a Mighty-[One] of favour and wombing, long of noses and multiple of Grace and consolation concerning the bad”:
12. Why does Yonah desire Yehovah to take his being from him now?
13. Is Yonah right when he says, “my death is better than my life”?
14. Do you love your own people as much as Yonah loved his?
II. The Heated Question (verse 4)
Yehovah asked Yonah one question: “Is the heat good for thee?” Does Yonah benefit himself by being furious?
Questions
1. What does heat mean?
2. Answer the question: Is anger good (beneficial) for Yonah?
III. Camouflage (verse 5)
Yonah went out of the city. He found a place east of the city where he could watch. He constructed a Succah (camouflage) for himself so that he would be hidden under its shadow in order to watch and see what will happen in the city.
Questions
1. Why did Yonah exit the city?
2. Why did he choose to sit to watch the city on its eastern side?
3. What is a Succah?
4. Why did Yonah make a Succah?
5. What produced the shadow under which he sat, and why did he want to sit under a shadow?
6. What does “until he will see what will be in the city” mean? What was he waiting to see?
IV. Kikayon (verse 6)
Now, Yehovah Elohim measured (fitted for size) a plant called in Hebrew Kikayon. The plant must have had very large leaves, since it would provide perfect shade. This plant grew extremely rapidly above Yonah giving Yonah shadow overhead, and to rescue Yonah from his bad (his harm) from the sun. Yonah greatly rejoiced over this Kikayon plant.
Questions
1. What is a Kikayon plant?
2. Why did Yehovah measure this plant?
3. Who ascended above Yonah?
4. What service did the Kikayon plant do?
5. What does “to rescue him from his bad” mean?
6. Why was Yonah so happy about the Kikayon plant?
V. Worm and Wind (verses 7-8)
The Elohim next measured a worm as the dawn ascended for the next day. The worm destroyed the Kikayon, and the plant withered.
As the sun rose the next day, Elohim next measured a cutting east wind. The sun beat down on Yonah’s head, and Yonah made himself wilt!
He again asked his being to die. He said, “My death is better than my life!”
Questions
1. How fast had the Kikayon plant grown??
2. Why did Elohim need to measure a worm?
3. What did the worm do?
4. What happened to that large plant?
5. Who was at the sunrising of the sun?
6. Why did Elohim measure a cutting, east wind, and what is that?
7. What did the sun do on this day?
8. What did Yonah do in response?
9. What does “he asked his being to die” mean?
10. Why did he say, “My death is better than my life”?
11. Why did Elohim do this—give him a plant that made him glad, then intentionally send a worm, a terrible wind, and the heat of the sun to destroy the plant and to beat down on Yonah’s head?
12. Was Yonah right when he said, “My death is better than my life”?
VI. Having Pity (verses 9-11)
Elohim said to Yonah, “Is the heat good for thee concerning the Kikayon-plant?” That heat is anger. Yonah replied, “The heat is good for me unto death!” Yonah was angry! Yehovah continued, “Thou, thou didst have pity upon the Kikayon in which thou didst not labour and did not make big, that was the son of a night. And he perished the son of a night.” Yehovah then compared Yonah and the Kikayon to Yehovah and some of the folks of Nineveh: “And I, I will not pity over the big city Nineveh in whom there are many more than 120,000 of Adam who did not know between his right to his left, and multiplied cattle?”
Questions
1. What did Elohim mean by, “Is the heat good for thee concerning the Kikayon-plant?”
2. Yonah stated, “The heat is good for me unto death!” Was he right?
3. What did Elohim mean by, “in which thou didst not labour and did not make big”?
4. What does “that was the son of a night” mean?
5. Why did Yonah pity the plant?
6. What does “And he perished the son of a night” mean?
7. What does “120,000 of Adam” mean?
8. What does “who did not know between his right to his left” mean?
9. According to verse 11, according to Elohim, what did Yonah desire Him to do or to not do?
10. What does this last part show about Elohim?