God’s Word Translation
Jonah 3:10
10God saw what they did. He saw that they turned from their wicked ways. So God reconsidered his threat to destroy them, and he didn’t 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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.
Context of Jonah 3:10
8Every person and animal must put on sackcloth. Cry loudly to God for help. Turn from your wicked ways and your acts of violence. 9Who knows? God may reconsider his plans and turn from his burning anger so that we won’t die.” God saw what they did. He saw that they turned from their wicked ways. So God reconsidered his threat to destroy them, and he didn’t 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 21:27When Ahab heard these things, he tore his clothes ⌞in distress⌟ and dressed in sackcloth. He fasted, lay in sackcloth, and walked around depressed.
- Job 33:27Each one sings in front of other people and says, ‘I sinned and did wrong instead of what was right, and it did me no good.
- Jeremiah 31:18“I have certainly heard Ephraim mourn and say, ‘You disciplined me, and I was disciplined. I was like a young, untrained calf. Turn me, and I will be turned, because you are the Lord my God.
- Luke 11:32The men of Nineveh will stand up at the time of judgment with the people living today. Since the men of Nineveh turned to God and changed the way they thought and acted when Jonah spoke his message, they will condemn the people living today. But look, someone greater than Jonah is here!
- Luke 15:20“So he went at once to his father. While he was still at a distance, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son, put his arms around him, and kissed him.
- Jonah 4:2So he prayed to the Lord, “Lord, isn’t this what I said would happen when I was still in my own country? That’s why I tried to run to Tarshish in the first place. I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, patient, and always ready to forgive and to reconsider your threats of destruction.
- Jeremiah 18:8But suppose the nation that I threatened turns away from doing wrong. Then I will change my plans about the disaster I planned to do to it.
- Joel 2:13Tear your hearts, not your clothes. Return to the Lord your God. He is merciful and compassionate, patient, and always ready to forgive and to change his plans about disaster.
- Amos 7:3The Lord changed his plans about this. “This won’t happen,” the Lord said.
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
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