Matthew Poole and continuators on Jonah 3

1 AND the word of the LORD came c unto Jonah the second time , saying,

After that Ionah had been well disciplined for his contumacy, and was set at liberty.

The command or the Prophetick Spirit, Vid. chap. 1. ver. 1. let. b. c.

The first time Ionah rebels against the command, now better prepared and humbled he is tryed again, God doth give him the gift of Prophesie, and by that signifies his reconciliation to him, and admits him into his old station.

2 Arise , go unto Nineveh that great city , and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee .

Vid▪ chap. 1. ver. 2. let. f.

Vid. chap. 1. ver. 2. let. g.

Ibid. let. h.

Vid. chap. 1. ver. 2. let. i. great in extent of ground, in strength of its fortifications, height, and breadth of their Walls and multitude of their Towers, great in the multitude of its numbers and riches of its Citizens, and every whit as great in the multitude of its sins, but let nothing retard or discourage thee, arise and go.

Publickly, plainly, boldly, cry chap. 1. ver. 2. let. k.

i. e. Against it publish the near approaching ruin of it, preach to them the necessity of their Repentance, and awaken them to it by the terrours of the Lord.

Either which I did bid thee at first, as chap. 1. ver. 3. or what I shall suggest and communicate to thee when thou art come thither.

3 So Jonah arose and went unto Nineveh according to the word of the LORD (now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three dayes journey .)

And Heb. as God commands and directs, so Ionah with ready, resolved, and obedient mind sets about the work.

Tho it was a long journey yet three weeks or three months travel by Land, is more eligible then three days in the belly of Hell.

Every way complying with the command of God, speeding thither resolved to preach whatsoever Sermon God should put into his head, encouraged with assurance that God who did send would be with him whithersoever he was sent.

The greatest City of the known world at that day, it was then in its flourishing state greater then Babylon ▪ whose compass was three hundr[illegible: 1 letter]d sixty five or three hundred eighty five furlongs, but [illegible: 1 word] was in compass four hundred and eighty, her walls an hundred foot in height, her walls broad enough for three Coaches to meet and safely pass by each other, had fifteen hundred Towers on its walls, and these Towers two hundred foot high, and one million and four hundred thousand men imployed continually for eight years to build it, if our author be not mistaken.

There is some difference in accounting how this City was three days journey, if we account the length of it at one hundred and fifty furlongs, this will amount to eighteen miles and three quarters, this seems too little to be three days journey, unless it be supposed the Prophet account his leisurely progress, and takes in the many stops that would necessarily and unavoidably retard him in his walking and preaching such strange news, if we consider this, 'tis not unlike six miles would be as far as he could go in a day, preaching to all and discoursing with many, others will account it three dayes journey to go through the streets and lanes of this City, but on the supposition 'twas eighteen miles in length, and eleven miles in breadth 'twill be more then three dayes journey, or a weeks journey, for supposing in a miles breadth but eight streets from end to end through eighteen miles length, 'twill amount to four hundred sixty four miles. Others account by the compass of the walls sixty miles, and allow twenty miles to each dayes journey too far for any one to walk, preach, dispute or reason, and account for himself, the first account seems most probable.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] of God.

4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a days journey, and he cryed, and said , Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown .

The former verse gives us intelligence of Ionah's arrival at Nineveh; now, so soon as come, he preacheth.

To walk through and to preach the dreadful threats of God against Nineveh, and he proclaimed openly and plainly what God commanded; he feared not to tell all what concerned all, he did it with earnestness as deeply affected with what he spake from God against this mighty City.

A very short time, some might think, for this great City, but 'tis more time then God was bound to give, or then they could deserve, or then God gave to Sodom and Gomorrah, the sins of which Cities were no doubt found in Nineveh now Ionah preached, and grew ripe by that time Nahum came to foretell their ruine, vid. Nahum tot. the threat is express and peremptory in its form and words; though there be a reserve with God on condition of Repentance which operated in due time, and manifestly proved that God intended mercy to repenting Nineveh, though he threatned an overthrow to impenitent Nineveh, how it should be overthrown is not expressed, some conjecture by a forreign Enemy, which carrieth unlikelihood with it, others guesse by fire from Heaven, but since 'twas not destroyed we need not enquire how it should have been, and had they not repented the event would have informed us fully.

5 ¶ So the people of Nineveh believed God , and proclaimed a fast , and put on sackcloth from the greatest of them even to the least of them .

And Heb.

The inhabitants who heard, they first believed who first heard, and successively others as soon as they heard.

Speaking by his Prophet, they knew their own sins.

Though Ionah were a stranger to them yet because coming in Gods name, he did very particularly, fully, and to the Life enumerate, decipher, and lay open their sins, with what they deserved, what might be expected, what God threatned from Heaven, all which concurring wrought them to believe their danger, Gods mercy, and the possibility of escape if they repent, whether the same of Ionah's deliverance came to Nineveh before him, appears not, nor is it likely it should come so far and so fast though 'twere known on the Syrian Coast, and about Tyre and Zidon, possibly Ionah might publish it in Nineveh.

Every one called upon other to fast, or cry'd out 'twas high time to fast, repent, and supplicate God, so some think, but this passage is an Anticipation, tells us what was done, and will tell us afterwards on what grounds, authority and example 'twas done.

A ceremony very usual in mournings private or publick in those Countreys, and a token of their true mourning, this all did, great and small, rich and poor.

Marginal references: Matth. 12.41. Luk. 11.32.

6 For word came to the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne , and he laid his robe from him , and covered him with sackcloth , and sat in ashes .

This now accounteth for the peoples proclaiming a fast ver. 5. they did it because 'twas commanded, and they had the Kings example herein.

Whether Ionah did particularly speak to his hearers to send word to the King or whether the strangeness of the thing might move some or other to report it to the Courtiers, and they to the King is not specified, certain 'tis that the King had word brought him, and it was considered by him, nor is it said who this King was, Sardanapalus seems too early, Phul Belochus is with more probability thought to be this King.

Came down from his Royal seat.

Put off his rich, gorgeous and luxurious apparel.

Put on the rough, and uneasie garments of a mourner.

As Iob 2.8. and 42.6. Esth. 4.13.

7 And he caused it to be proclaimed , and published through Nineveh (by the decree of the king and his nobles) saying, Let neither man nor beast , herd nor flock taste any thing , let them not feed, nor drink water:

The King.

Took a particular care to have speedily a Fast ordered, and notified to the people by those publick Officers, who were wont to proclaim the Decrees and Edicts of the King and his Counsel.

This ingemination confirms the thing, and adds somewhat for shewing the deep sense the King had both of his own, and his peoples [illegible: 1 letter]ins danger, and duty in this exigent.

It was an Act of the King and Counsel, and that which passed them with good liking, they relisht the thing as the Hebrew phrase importeth.

Men have sinned and provok't God to this high displeasure it does most principally concern them to repent, fast and mourn for their sins that God may pardon and spare them.

These comprised in the threat and like to be involved in the common danger are put under a fast, this the general which is afterwards exprest more particularly Herd and Flock, let none of these whether at home in the stall or abroad in the Fold and Herd.

This referred by some to the strictness with which men were bound to keep this Fast, but this may be a general prohibition explained by what follows, let all Man and Beast forbear to eat or drink, that the Fast might be most solemn, that the cry of man seconded with the cry of hungry Cattel, might enter the ears of God who preserveth Man and Beast.

Marginal references: Heb. said.; Heb. great men.

8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth and cry mightily unto God ; yea, let them s turn every one from his evil way , and from the violence which is in their hands .

Every man from greatest, the King on the Throne, to the least, the beggar on the dunghill, put off his usual and softer habit, and afflict themselves in coursest garments.

Their Horses in which they gloried much, their Camels also, both which they adorned with rich and costly clothing in their Stables, and with as rich furniture for Saddles, Bridles, and Trappings when they were used abroad, now all in Testimony of an hearty repentance must clothe with Sackcloth, the clothing of beasts must witness for men.

Beasts in distresse and starving cry to God as the young Ravens and hungry Lions, and so here Beasts of the Herd and Flock cry. But 'tis to be referred to men lamenting their sins, deprecating judgments, imploring mercy with all earnestness and vehemency of desire, called here a crying mightily to God, as chap. 1.5.

The inhabitants of Niniveh whether Traders, or who live at their ease and pleasure there let them reform and amend their doings.

The Edict for ceasing from violence is as full and particular as the Edict for Fasting, all are commanded to be just and righteous.

Not cease from single acts onely but change the course and habitual manner of life called here their way every one was vicious, and each one almost had some particular method of sin, which was his way of sinning this must they turn from.

Oppression and rapine as a chief sin is here particularly mentioned, compare this with N[illegible: 1 letter]h. 3.1.

Which acted by them is still in their hands both in the guilt of it, the effects of it, and as publickly known as what is seen in a mans hands, Vid. Psal. 7.3.

Marginal references: Isa. 59.6[illegible: 1 letter]

9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent , and turn away from his fierce anger , that we perish not?

Here is the ground of the Ninivites Fasting and praying, there is a possibility that they may escape, there is fairly argued a probability, for why should the ruine beforehand be threatned but to give warning, so many days ere it come, unless it be to [illegible: 1 letter]ry us, whether we will Fast, Pray, Repent and amend? and though Ionah had no commission to promise them a deliverance, yet 'tis very like he acquainted them with the merciful and gracious nature of his God. This speech of theirs, Vid. Ioel 2.14. and 2 Sam. 12.22. it includes both faith and doubt, yet Faith prevailing to use of means.

If we return by Repentance, to which God would now call us by this minatory admonition, he may perhaps return to us in mercy, and by the event shew 'twas not an irrevocable sentence past against us.

Forbear to execute that terrible menace of overthrowing us in his just and hot displeasure against our sins, this explains that which he had called repenting before, which being here as elsewhere 'tis attributed to God after the manner of mans speaking must be interpreted as becometh his immutability, and majesty.

Suddenly, exemplarily, temporally and eternally all which impenitent sinners deserve, Ninevites were in danger of, and the provoked justice of God would have brought upon them if they had not repented.

10 ¶ And God saw their works , that they turned from their evil way , and God repented of the evill that he had said that he would do unto them , and he did it not l.

Not onely with naked and single intuition, but he saw and approved, was singularly well pleased with that he saw.

Works not words are sure signs of what men are, humbling themselves to the dust, extraordinary Fasting, and crying unto God these were some of their works, but God saw more then these external professing work.

Vid. ver. 8. let. u. they did heartily, presently and universally turn from the ways of impiety against God, of injustice against man, from the ways of luxury and pride, from all their violence against man, without this all the rest had been not worth the observing nor would God have regarded it.

This is spoken as before, ver. 9. let. a. (and as his seeing is attributed to him) after the manner of man, and must be applied unto our unchangeable God, so as may not reflect any blemish upon his Truth, constancy or immutability. Though he is said to repent 'tis not as man doth who may through frailty of his nature lie, but our God is not a man, or as the Son of man that he should change or lie.

Of punishment.

Threatned by Ionah's mouth.

To sinning Ninevites, who did rightly conjecture that 'twas possible, this dreadful message might be a minatory warning, and might be big of a merciful condition of pardon if they repented, and there was no other way to make the discovery of this but that they took. For he will not deal with penitent sinners as with impenitent, though his justice would not have spared unrepenting Citizens, his Mercy is so great he will not destroy repenting sinners.