Jonah 3:7

Jonah 3:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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:
• New International Version (NIV)This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, "By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water,
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water.

Context of Jonah 3:7

5The people of Nineveh believed in God, and they declared a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. 6When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, put on sackcloth, and sat on ashes. He issued a proclamation and said, “In Nineveh, by the decree of the king and his nobles: No human or animal, cattle or sheep, is to taste anything; they must not eat and they must not drink water. 8Every person and animal must put on sackcloth and must cry earnestly to God, and everyone must turn from their evil way of living and from the violence that they do. 9Who knows? Perhaps God might be willing to change his mind and relent and turn from his fierce anger so that we might not die.”

Jonah 3:7 word by word

וַיַּזְעֵ֗ק וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ בְּנִֽינְוֵ֔ה מִטַּ֧עַם הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וּגְדֹלָ֖יו לֵאמֹ֑ר הָאָדָ֨ם וְהַבְּהֵמָ֜ה הַבָּקָ֣ר וְהַצֹּ֗אן אַֽל־יִטְעֲמוּ֙ מְא֔וּמָה אַ֨ל־יִרְע֔וּ וּמַ֖יִם אַל־יִשְׁתּֽוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• to be proclaimedזָעַקzâ‛aq · to cry outH2199
• and publishedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• through Ninevehנִינְוֵהnîynevêh · NinevehH5210
• by the decreeטַ֫עַםţa‛am · tasteH2940
• of the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• and his noblesגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• Let neither manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• nor beastבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
• herdבָּקָרbâqâr · cattleH1241
• nor flockצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
• tasteטָעַםţâ‛am · to perceiveH2938
• any thingמְא֫וּמָהme'ûmâh · anythingH3972
• let them not feedרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
• nor drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
• waterמַיmayim · waterH4325

Cross-references for Jonah 3:7

• Jonah 3:5The people of Nineveh believed in God, and they declared a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.
• 2 Chronicles 20:3Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to seek the Lord’s advice. He decreed that all Judah should observe a fast.
• Ezra 8:21I called for a fast there by the Ahava Canal, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek from him a safe journey for us, our children, and all our property.
• Joel 2:15Blow the trumpet in Zion. Announce a holy fast; proclaim a sacred assembly!
• Joel 1:18Listen to the cattle groan! The herds of livestock wander around in confusion because they have no pasture. Even the flocks of sheep are suffering.
• Romans 8:20For the creation was subjected to futility – not willingly but because of God who subjected it – in hope

Commentaries on Jonah 3:7

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh; - literally, “And he cried and said, etc.” The cry or proclamation of the king corresponded with the cry of Jonah. Where the prophet‘s cry, calling to repentance, had reached, the proclamation of the king followed, obeying. “By the decree of the king and his nobles.” This is a hint of the political state of Nineveh, beyond what we have elsewhere. It was not then an absolute monarchy. At…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. 77. neither ... beast ... taste any thing--The brute creatures share in the evil effects of man's sin (Jon 4:11; Ro 8:20, 22); so they here according to Eastern custom, are made to share in man's outward indications of humiliation. "When the Persian general Masistias was slain, the horses and mules of the Persians were shorn, as well as themselves" [Newcome from Plutarch; also Herodotus, 9.24].Read the comment

Topics related to Jonah 3:7

• Fasting
• Heathen
• Minister, Christian
• Missions
• Obedience
• Orator
• Repentance
• Revivals
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Nineveh
• Nineveh, Ninevite
• Fast
• Lay
• Mightily
• Jonah, the Book of
• Noble; Nobles; Nobleman
• authority

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