Jonah

the prophet of the great fish

Who was Jonah?

A prophet, son of Amittai, from Gath-hepher. Jonah 1:1; 2 Kings 14:25
He fled on a ship when God sent him to Nineveh. A great fish swallowed him, and he was inside it three days. Jonah 1:2-3; Jonah 2:1
Jesus spoke of the “sign of Jonah” when he announced his three days in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:39-40

The name: His name is usually translated “dove.” Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), “Jonas”
Also called: Jonah, son of Amittai Jonah 1:1
From: From Gath-hepher 2 Kings 14:25
Occupation: Prophet 2 Kings 14:25
Feast day: September 21: Saint Jonah, prophet

What the Bible says

Jonah 1:1; 2 Kings 14:25

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonas the son of Amathi, saying:

Jonah 1:2-3; Jonah 2:1

²Arise, and go to Ninive the great city, and preach in it: for the wickedness thereof is come up before me. ³And Jonas rose up to flee into Tharsis from the face of the Lord, and he went down to Joppe, and found a ship going to Tharsis: and he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them to Tharsis from the face of the Lord.

Matthew 12:39-40

³⁹Who answering said to them: An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a sign: and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. ⁴⁰For as Jonas was in the whale’s belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.

The path of Jonah

Before Jesus. The Lord sent Jonah to preach to Nineveh, the great city. Jonah ran away on a ship bound for Tarshish. Jonah 1:2-3
Before Jesus. A great storm came. The sailors cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. Jonah 1:4, 7
Before Jesus. Jonah asked them to throw him into the sea. They did, and the sea grew calm. Jonah 1:12, 15
With Jesus. A great fish swallowed Jonah. From inside it he prayed to the Lord, and the fish spat him out onto the shore. Jonah 2:1-2, 11
With Jesus. Jonah announced in Nineveh that the city would be destroyed in forty days. Jonah 3:4
With Jesus. The people believed God and fasted, from the king down to the least of them. God did not punish them. Jonah 3:5-6, 10
Afterward. Jonah got angry because God spared Nineveh. Then he sat down to watch the city in the shade of a plant. Jonah 4:1-2, 5-6
Afterward. God asked him whether he should not have pity on Nineveh, with so many people and so many animals. Jonah 4:10-11

Words of Jonah

“I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord the God of heaven, who made both the sea and the dry land.” Jonah 1:9

To the sailors, who asked him who he was.

“Take me up, and cast me into the sea, and the sea shall be calm to you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.” Jonah 1:12

In the middle of the storm.

“I cried out of my affliction to the Lord, and he heard me: I cried out of the belly of hell, and thou hast heard my voice.” Jonah 2:3

In his prayer from the belly of the fish.

“Yet forty days, and Ninive shall be destroyed.” Jonah 3:4

As he walked through the city of Nineveh.

“I beseech thee, O Lord, is not this what I said, when I was yet in my own country? therefore I went before to flee into Tharsis: for I know that thou art a gracious and merciful God, patient, and of much compassion, and easy to forgive evil.” Jonah 4:2

Angry, when God spared Nineveh.

What they were like

He ran away when God sent him. Jonah 1:3
Honest in his prayer, even when he was angry. Jonah 4:2-3
He asked to be thrown into the sea so the storm would calm down. Jonah 1:12

The greatest thing they did

All of Nineveh turned to God through his preaching. Jonah 3:5-10

Not to be confused with

Peter: Jesus called Peter “Simon, son of Jonah.” That Jonah was Peter’s father, not the prophet. Matthew 16:17

In the Church today

Feast day: September 21, Saint Jonah, prophet (commemoration (not on the General Roman Calendar or the U.S. calendar)). Roman Martyrology (2004)

What people ask

Was Jonah really inside a fish?

The Bible says a great fish swallowed him and that he was inside it three days and three nights. The NAB introduction presents the book as a story told to teach, a “parable of mercy.” Jonah 2:1; NAB introduction to Jonah

Was it a whale?

The Book of Jonah speaks of a great fish. When Matthew recalls it, he says “whale” in the NAB and in the Douay-Rheims. Jonah 2:1; Matthew 12:40

What is the sign of Jonah?

Jesus compared Jonah’s three days in the fish with his own three days in the heart of the earth. The Catechism says that in this way he spoke of his Resurrection. Matthew 12:40; Catechism 994

Why did Jonah get angry?

Because God spared Nineveh. Jonah said that was why he had run away: he knew God is gracious and merciful. Jonah 4:1-2

His anger He got angry because God spared Nineveh. Jonah 4:1 Twice he asked to die. Jonah 4:3, 8 Little known Back in the time of King Jeroboam, he had…

The rest of this page (daily life, failings, little-known facts, for you…) is part of the subscription.

See the map

Who Jonah is connected to

Jesus · the sign of Jonah

More people

All the people of the Bible · The Twelve Apostles · Women of the Bible

See Jonah on the map