English Standard Version
Jonah 3:10
10When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.
Jonah 3:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
- New International Version (NIV)When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.
- New Living Translation (NLT)When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.
Context of Jonah 3:10
8but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish." When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.
Read all of Jonah 3Jonah 3:10 word by word
וַיַּ֤רְא הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶֽת־מַ֣עֲשֵׂיהֶ֔ם כִּי־שָׁ֖בוּ מִדַּרְכָּ֣ם הָרָעָ֑ה וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים עַל־הָרָעָ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר לַעֲשׂוֹת־לָהֶ֖ם וְלֹ֥א עָשָֽׂה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- their worksמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deedH4639
- that they turnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: repentH7725
- from their evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
- wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
- repentedנָחַםnâcham · to be sorry: relentH5162
- of the evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451
- that he had saidדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- that he would doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
Cross-references for Jonah 3:10
- 1 Kings 21:27And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly.
- Job 33:27He sings before men and says: 'I sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not repaid to me.
- Jeremiah 31:18I have heard Ephraim grieving, 'You have disciplined me, and I was disciplined, like an untrained calf; bring me back that I may be restored, for you are the Lord my God.
- Luke 11:32The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
- Luke 15:20And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
- Jonah 4:2And he prayed to the Lord and said, "O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.
- Jeremiah 18:8and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it.
- Joel 2:13and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.
- Amos 7:3The Lord relented concerning this: "It shall not be," said the Lord.
Commentaries on Jonah 3:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10And Gods saw their works - They repented, and brought forth fruits meet for repentance; works which showed that they did most earnestly repent. He therefore changed his purpose, and the city was saved. The purpose was: If the Ninevites do not return from their evil ways, and the violence that is in their hands, within forty days, I will destroy the city. The Ninevites did return, etc., and therefore escaped the threatened judgment. Thus we see that the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10And God saw their works - o“He did not then first see them; He did not then first see their sackcloth when they covered themselves with it. He had seen them long before He sent the prophet there, while Israel was slaying the prophets who announced to them the captivity which hung over them. He knew certainly, that if He were to send the prophets far off to the Gentiles with such an announcement, they would hear and repent.” God saw them, looked upon them…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-10Verses 5-10 There was a wonder of Divine grace in the repentance and reformation of Nineveh. It condemns the men of the gospel generation, Mt 12:41. A very small degree of light may convince men that humbling themselves before God, confessing their sins with prayer, and turning from sin, are means of escaping wrath and obtaining mercy. The people followed the example of the king. It became a national act, and it was necessary it should be so, when it was…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10He relented: If the people of Nineveh had not repented, God would have destroyed them (Jonah 3:4). But God was ready to show mercy when they repented (see Jonah 4:2, 11). In God's view, this change did not reverse his original plan, because he always considered the possibility of mercy. This change does not affect God's ability to know the future. Historically, the church has believed that God fully knows the future (see Psalm 139:4; Isaiah 46:10; Daniel…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. God repented of the evil--When the message was sent to them, they were so ripe for judgment that a purpose of destruction to take effect in forty days was the only word God's righteous abhorrence of sin admitted of as to them. But when they repented, the position in which they stood towards God's righteousness was altered. So God's mode of dealing with them must alter accordingly, if God is not to be inconsistent with His own immutable character of…Read the comment
Topics related to Jonah 3:10
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jonah 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries