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

5Then the people of Nineveh believed God and called for a fast and wore sackcloth—from the greatest of them to the least of them. 6When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his robe, covered himself in sackcloth, and sat in the ashes. He made a proclamation saying: “In Nineveh, by the decree of the king and his nobles, no man or beast, herd or flock, may taste anything. They must not graze nor drink water. 8But cover man and beast with sackcloth. Let them cry out to God with urgency. Let each one turn from his evil way and from the violence in his hands. 9Who knows? God may turn and relent, and turn back from his burning anger, so that we may not perish.”

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 3:5Then the people of Nineveh believed God and called for a fast and wore sackcloth—from the greatest of them to the least of them.
• 2 Chronicles 20:3Jehoshaphat was afraid so he resolved to seek Adonai, and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
• Ezra 8:21Then I proclaimed a fast there at the Ahava River so that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek from Him a straight way for us, our little ones, and all of our possessions.
• Joel 2:15Blow the shofar in Zion! Sanctify a fast; proclaim an assembly.
• Joel 1:18How the animals groan! The herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture. The flocks of sheep also suffer.
• Romans 8:20For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly but because of the One 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