JONAH OUR prophet owns himself by both his father’s name and by his country; of this latter no great doubt is raised, though it appear not whether he was born in Gath-hepher, or whether it was the place of his abode when he was called to go envoy to the great city Nineveh; of the former, some do…

Now, Heb. And. The word of the Lord, which is a usual description of prophecy; what God had to speak against Nineveh, be here does reveal to Jonah, with command that he publish it to those concerned in it.

Arise; forthwith prepare thyself, and get all in readiness, and with hearty resolution set upon the work. Go; so soon as thou art ready, set forward on thy journey, make not any delay. Nineveh; the chief city or metropolis of the Assyrian kingdom, built by Asshur, Gen.

But, Heb. And. Jonah rose up: he was commanded to arise, Jonah 1:2, so here Jonah did, but it was to run from his business, not to do it; it was a rising against God.

The Lord, the almighty and eternal God, from whose work Jonah fleeth, sent out a great wind. God keepeth the winds as in storehouses, or treasuries, and now brings one forth to fetch back a fugitive, and obstinate refuser of his command: the greatness of it, with the suddenness of its rising, and…

Then, when this preternatural tempest fell-with all its violence into the sea, the mariners; passengers are not here named, who, unaccustomed to sea, might be too apprehensive of danger; but the men that were acquainted with the sea, and had seen many a tempest, and weathered many a storm, were…

So the ship-master, who had the conduct of the vessel, and from whose mouth such a reproof was seasonable, came to him; missing him, when all the rest were toiled with labour, and had been crying mightily to their false gods, but Jonah appeared not.

And they said every one to his fellow; after they had prayed, which was necessary in such cases, as being a religious means, and cast out the goods which loaded the ship, which was a proper natural means of safety, but none appeared, still the tempest, and their danger with it, continued, a shrewd…

Then said they unto him; when the lot pointed out Jonah, these mariners all are satisfied that he was the man, that heaven had determined that grand inquiry, and accordingly they treat with him.

And he said unto them; Jonah freely and readily gives account of himself. I am a Hebrew; one that am descended from Heber, whose offspring by Abraham are well known, and probably to these mariners: he saith not, a Jew, because he was not in strictness of speech, for he was of the tribe of Zebulun;…

Then; when Jonah had declared his God, whose power and wrath these mariners saw and heard in the tempest, and what sin of his was now punished, and how they had taken him into their ship, knowing that he did runaway from this mighty God.

Then said they; when they heard all that Jonah had declared to them, and well weighed it all, and saw it looked all of one piece, most credible. Unto him; a prophet fittest in that respect to tell them what should be done, and a party so highly concerned in it.

He said unto them; he readily gives them advice for their safety. Take me up: this he spake as a prophet directed of God, and not, as some Jewish rabbi thinks, choosing to die rather than to go to Nineveh.

Nevertheless, Heb. And; but rightly to the proper sense of the phrase rendered here nevertheless: Notwithstanding the lot fell on Jonah, he confessed his fault, directs them to cast him overboard, and in all this avoweth himself to be a prophet of God, and assures them of a calm sea if they do…

Wherefore, since all their labour and skill to carry the ship to shore was successless, and they saw no remedy, but they must either follow Jonah’s advice against himself, or drown with him, they cried, with importunity of mind, and with loud voices too in prayer, unto the Lord; not now, as in the…

So, Heb. And, they took up Jonah; as he advised; with reset to themselves, though with full-consent of Jonah, at last they yield. Cast him forth into the sea: see Jonah 1:12.

Then, when they saw God approved the thing, and confirmed Jonah’s word, as of a true prophet, and had spared them, the men, the seamen, and all others, if any others were in the ship, feared the Lord; with a deep reverence of his power, wisdom, and justice against Jonah, and of his mercy towards…

Now, Heb. And. Prepared; created at first, say some; but what need that, when a mighty overgrown fish of a double age may do this; by God’s will and appointment it attended the ship, and followed it in the storm, expecting a prey, and ready to receive the prisoner.