New American Standard Bible 2020
Jonah 3:8
8But every person and animal must be covered with sackcloth; and people are to 1call on God vehemently, and they are to 2turn, each one from his evil way, and from the violence which is in their hands.
Jonah 3:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
- New International Version (NIV)But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.
- English Standard Version (ESV)but 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.
Context of Jonah 3:8
6When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, removed his robe from himself, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat on the dust. 7And he issued a proclamation, and it said, “In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: No person, animal, herd, or flock is to taste anything. They are not to eat, or drink water. But every person and animal must be covered with sackcloth; and people are to call on God vehemently, and they are to turn, each one from his evil way, and from the violence which is in their hands. 9Who knows, God may turn and relent, and turn from His burning anger so that we will not perish.” 10When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their evil way, then God relented of the disaster which He had declared He would bring on them. So He did not do it.
Read all of Jonah 3Jonah 3:8 word by word
וְיִתְכַּסּ֣וּ שַׂקִּ֗ים הָֽאָדָם֙ וְהַבְּהֵמָ֔ה וְיִקְרְא֥וּ אֶל־אֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּחָזְקָ֑ה וְיָשֻׁ֗בוּ אִ֚ישׁ מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ הָֽרָעָ֔ה וּמִן־הֶחָמָ֖ס אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּכַפֵּיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
- personאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- and animalבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
- must be coveredכָּסָהkâsâh · to coverH3680
- with sackclothשַׂקώaq · sackclothH8242
- callקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
- on Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- vehementlyחׇזְקָהchozqâh · forceH2394
- turnשׁוּבshûb · to return: repentH7725
- eachאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
- and from the violenceחָמָסchâmâs · violenceH2555
- whichאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- is in their handsכַּףkaph · palmH3709
Cross-references for Jonah 3:8
- Jonah 1:6So the captain approached him and said, “How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god! Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.”
- Psalms 130:1Out of the depths I have cried to You, Lord.
- Isaiah 1:16“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil,
- Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.
- Isaiah 58:6Is this not the fast that I choose: To release the bonds of wickedness, To undo the ropes of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free, And break every yoke?
- Ezekiel 18:21“But if the wicked person turns from all his sins which he has committed and keeps all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall certainly live; he shall not die.
- Ezekiel 33:11Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure at all in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then should you die, house of Israel?’
- Daniel 4:27Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you: wipe away your sin by doing righteousness, and your wrongdoings by showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.’
- Matthew 3:8Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance;
- Acts 3:19Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
- Acts 26:20but continually proclaimed to those in Damascus first, and in Jerusalem, and then all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they are to repent and turn to God, performing deeds consistent with repentance.
- Isaiah 59:6Their webs will not become clothing, Nor will they cover themselves with their works; Their works are works of wrongdoing, And an act of violence is in their hands.
Commentaries on Jonah 3:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Let man and beast be covered - This was done that every object which they beheld might deepen the impression already made, and cause them to mourn after a godly sort. Virgil tells us that the mourning for the death of Julius Caesar was so general, that the cattle neither ate nor drank: - Non ulli pastos illis egere diebus Frigida, Daphni, boves ad flumina: nulla neque amnem Libavit quadrupes, nec graminis attigit herbam. Ecl. 5:24. "The swains forgot…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Let man and beast be covered with sackcloth - The gorgeous caparisons of horses, mules and camels was part of Eastern magnificence. Who knows not how man‘s pride is fed by the sleekness of his stud, their “well-appointed” trappings? Man, in his luxury and pride, would have everything reflect his glory, and minister to pomp. Self-humiliation would have everything reflect its lowliness. Sorrow would have everything answer to its sorrow. People think it…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. 7-8By including animals in fasting and mourning rituals, the king showed the seriousness of the situation. He wanted everyone to stop normal activities to pray and change their bad behavior. Violence was the main problem in their society.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. cry ... turn--Prayer without reformation is a mockery of God (Psa 66:18; Is 58:6). Prayer, on the other hand, must precede true reformation, as we cannot turn to God from our evil way unless God first turns us (Jr 31:18, 19).Read the comment
Topics related to Jonah 3:8
In the dictionaries
Notes
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
New American Standard Bible 2020 — © 1960–2020 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Commentaries