New King James Version
Jonah 3:7
7And 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city: “No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all.
Context of Jonah 3:7
5So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. 6Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. 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. 8But 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. 9Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?
Read all of Jonah 3Jonah 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 3:5So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.
- 2 Chronicles 20:3And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
- Ezra 8:21Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions.
- Joel 2:15Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly;
- Joel 1:18How the animals groan! The herds of cattle are restless, Because they have no pasture; Even the flocks of sheep suffer punishment.
- Romans 8:20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him 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
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries