Jonah 1

NOW And Hebr. the word of the LORD Which is a usual description of Prophesie what God had to speak against Niniveh, he here does reveal to Ionah with command that he publish it to those concerned in it; came Or was with. unto Jonah Called Ionas, Luk. 11.30. which signifieth a Dove; he was of Gath Hepher a Town of Zebulon, 2 Kings 14.25. but no more is added, by which I conjecture it was some obscure place, to which Ionah gave more light than it could to him. the son of Amittai Of what rank he was, appears not., saying,

Arise Forthwith prepare thy self, and get all in readiness, and with hearty resolution set upon the work., go So soon as thou art ready, set forward on thy journy make not any delay. to Nineveh The chief City, or Metropolis of the Assyrian Kingdom built by Ashur, Gen. 10.11. if this verse be not better translated, thus He (i. e. Nimrod) went out into Assyria, and builded Nineveh, so Nimrod the Founder, and first Builder. that great city It may be easily conjectur'd a great City, which was scituate on such a River as Tigris is, had continued so many hundred years from 1719 of the World in which 'twas built, unto 3124, about which time Ionah was sent to Preach against it; during which long growth it may be conceived as great as 'tis ordinarily described, 150 Furlongs in length, that is eighteen miles, and three quarters of a mile of our English measure, and eleven miles and one quarter of the same measure in breadth., and cry against it Earnestly, and publickly, preach against the sins, and denounce the sudden ruin of that City unless they repent. So cry that all may hear, or at least all may come to the knowledge of what is threatned. for their wickedness is come up before me Their many and great sins, as 'tis said of Cain's sin when he had slain Abel, Gen. 4.10. and Sodoms sins, Gen. 18 20, 21. and the sins of oppressours, Iames. 5.4. cry aloud, the cry enters Heaven, and justice must no longer defer, yet I will give them warning, Ionah, go thou, and tell them plainly, their great sins shall be greatly punisht..

But And Heb. Jonah rose up He was commanded to arise, ver. 2. so here Ionah did, but 'twas to run from his business, not to do it; 'twas a rising against God. to flee Whatever was the cause which moved Ionah to do this It is strange that he should fall into a f xt opinion, that he might, and a fixt resolution that he would, thus from his God, and from his Duty. unto Tarshish To Se, as some, but this seemeth too rambling a humour, to Cilicia say others, and particularly to Tarsus no mean City of Cilicia, Act. 21.39. others say 'twas Tunis or Carthage in Africa, to which Ionah minded to fly, either of these carry such probability with them, that we will not determine for our reader. from the presence of the LORD I cannot suppose Ionah dream't of flying from the omnipresence of God, he knew how David described this Psal. 139.7, 8, 9, 10, 11. and Natural reason told him he could never fly from this; but this presence of God is to be interpreted of the place where God usually had showed himself present by revealing his word and will to his Prophets, who are Servants to the Lord, and as such did stand before the Lord ready to receive his commands; now this command to Ionah being displeasing to him, and yet whilest he was in his own Country, the vally of Vision, he is still put upon the work, now he resolves to shift off the work by shifting place; perhaps he might think God would not put him upon it, when he was gotten into a strange and remote Country, where were no Prophets, nor prophetick impulses., and went down to Joppa A well known haven on the Mediterrane, now called Iaffa, antiently Iapho, Ios. 19.46., and he found a ship going Bound for, and ready to set sail for the place he designed. to Tarshish, so he paid the fare Forthwith agreed with the Master of the ship, and though unusual, paid presently, staid not till he came to the Port designed. thereof, and went down into it Immediately went a ship-board, and in a melancholy discomposed humour gets into a Cabin, or under deck,, to go with them waiting the time when they should go, that he might be sure to go with them. unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. Carthage or Tunis, or Tarsus in Cilicia. Vid. let. q.

¶ But the LORD The Almighty and Eternal God from whose work Ionah flieth. sent out God keepeth the winds as in Store-houses, or treasuries, and now brings one forth to fetch back a Fugitive, and obstinate refuser of his Command, a great wind the greatness of it, with the suddenness of its rising, and manner of its working, undeniably showed that 'twas supernatural and from God displeased with all, or with some one or other of them. into the sea The winds did not blow aloft over the sea and ship, but as if they had intermixt with the very waters of the Sea, and like an unheard of Hurricane shaked the very keel of the ship;, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea That part of the Sea where Ionah's ship was, this Messenger soon finds out Ionah, and speaks in most dreadful manner to all in the ship, who all saw and owned it to be from Heaven, the finger of God., so that the ship was like to be broken The Master, and Mariners thought they, Ship, and Goods, and all should be lost; the Hebr. expresseth it as if the Ship had sense of God's anger, as if the ship could think, and did think of its own weakness, and God's mighty hand..

Then When this praeternatural Tempest fell with all its violence into the Sea, the mariners Passengers are not here named, who unaccustomed to Sea, might be too apprehensive of danger, but the men that were acquainted with the Sea, and had seen many a Tempest, and weathered many a storm, were afraid heartily afraid, full of apprehensions that they should be wrack't., and cryed With loud voice and earnest petitions, as the manner of such men is, when danger awakens them to the Duty they neglect whilest safe. every man Not a man of them but feared, nor a man of them but cryed out, by which it is evident it twas a most dreadful storm. unto his god By this it appears that the ships crue was a mixture of men who worshipt several Gods, and every one does now cry to the God whom he Worshipt, what ever God it might be, 'twas not he that did raise, nor could allay the Tempest., and cast forth the wares that were in the ship When Prayer to their false Gods does no good, but their danger continued and threatned them with foundring in the Sea; to prevent this, they lighten the ship, as is usual in such cases, and cast the Wares out; not as Sacrifice to the God of the Sea, or as repenting of Piracy by which the Goods were gotten, though some conjecture so, but the Text tells us 'twas to lighten the Ship, into the sea to lighten it of them that it may bear up its head, and work with the Sea better than when heavy laden., But Jonah The greatest weight, and only danger to Ship and Sea-men was gon down into the sides of the ship was under the hold in some Cabin or other in the side of the Ship, whither he went before the storm arose, and he lay, and was fast asleep in a very deep sleep, as the word imports.?

So the ship-master Who had the conduct of the Vessel, and from whose mouth such a reproof was seasonable, came to him missing him, when all the rest were toil'd with labour, and had been crying mightily to their false Gods, but Ionah appeared not., and said unto him, What meanest thou, O * sleeper A very decent yet sharp reproof to him, What mettal art thou made of? Or, What God dost thou fear? Or, Art thou deaf to all the menaces of Heaven?! arise Awake, get up,, call upon thy God Pray to that God thou worshippest, as we have already each done, for possibly thy God may be mightier than our Gods, and may lay the Tempest that lyeth so heavily upon us., if so be that God They had lost the r labour seeking to other Gods, yet think it adviseable, that Ionah should try his God too, if so be, &c. Vid. Ioel 2.14. and so Amos 5.15. will think upon us With pitty, care, and favour, and do for us in this our strange distress,, that we perish not that Ship, Goods, and Men too, may not be lost..

And they said every one to his fellow After they had prayed, which was necessary in such cases, as being a religious means, and cast out the Goods which loaded the Ship, which was a proper natural means of safety, but none appeared, still the Tempest, and their Danger with it continued, a shrew'd Symptom that there was one or other amongst them whose sins had provoked God to do this, and that 'twere fit to be known who this was, and who e're first moved for making the search, all agree in the expedient., Come 'Tis like that it was upon the thoughts of many of them, and so exprest here. and let us cast lots It is extraordinary danger we are in, all ordinary means fail, let us try that which has somewhat extraordinary in it, though many times used, let the lot decide among us who is the cause of all this; lots are an appeal to Heaven in doubtful cases, and therefore not to be used on trifling, or unnecessary cases, but where the matter is great, difficult, or undeterminable in any other way, as Scripture instances of lots do inform us. Lev. 16.8, 9. Numb. 26.55. Iosh. 14.2. and 18.6. and 21. 4, 5, &c. 1 Sam. 10.20. &c. Neh. 10.34. and 11.1. Saul chosen by lot, and Acts 1.26., that we may know for whose cause this evil Very great, unusual, and praeternatural Tempest, not one among them but had deserved more, yet they surmise some notorious offender amongst them, or this had not been. is upon us: So they cast lots They act according to what was proposed., and the lot fell upon Jonah God determins and singles out Ionah..

Then said they unto him When the lot pointed out Ionah, these Marriners all are satisfied that he was the man; that Heaven had determined that grand Enquiry, and accordingly they treat with him., Tell us we pray thee They do try what fair means will do with him, and desire to have the account from his own mouth; so Ioshua dealt with Achan, Iosh. 7. satisfied in the person, next they do with commendable justice, and calmness enquire into the thing., for whose cause this evil is upon us What hast thou done, for which God is so angry with thee, and with us for thy sake; sure thou canst not but know what 'tis, and now frankly tell us? what is thine occupation what course of Life hast thou lived, or what Imployment dost thou now profess to follow, that we may guess by that whether thou art one of flagitious, or of honest Life?? and whence comest thou E're he give answer to this, probably another asketh whence he cometh, what Company he had kept; by this they conjecture at the man.? what is thy countrey Another starts a third Enquiry, what Country or Nation he is of, to those Ports Persons of different Nations flockt, possibly they hoped some or other in the ship might be his Country-men, and so fittest to e amin him., and of what people art thou This seems to be the same question repeated, or else an Enquiry where he dwelt. These the heads of the Questions askt him.?

And he said unto them Ionah freely and readily gives account of himself. I am an Hebrew One that am descended from Heber, whose Off-spring by Abraham are well known, and probably to these Mariners, he says not a Iew, because he was not in strictness of speech, for he was of the Tribe of Zebulun, nor an Israelite distinguisht from the Iew, lest he should seem to own himself of that Idolatrous Faction., and I fear I worship and serve the true God only, or possibly it may imply that his employment was in the immediate service of God, as a Religious person that had abdicated the World, and dedicated himself to God. the LORD The Eternal, and Almighty God, yours are upstart Gods, and have no power or might, nor can they do any thing. the God of heaven Who first made, now ruleth, and ever will rule the Heavens which none of your Gods can pretend to, those Heavens from whence you see this storm falleth., which has made the sea That Sea which now threatens you for my sake, and threatens me for my sin, my God has raised the Sea in his quarrel to contend thus furiously, and he can, and none but he can command it to be still., and the dry land A Description of the Earth, you would get thither, but all your Gods cannot bring you thither, or give you to set one foot upon it if my God say no. This is the sum of what Ionah declares, by which he intimateth his innocency from any flagitious Crime as they might imagin him guilty, and yet confesseth the greatness of his sin which he had before told them, though they understood it not, or thought light of it, he fled from the presence of the Lord..

Then When Ionah had declared his God, whose power and wrath these Mariners saw and heard in the Tempest, and what sin of his was now punisht, and how they had taken him into their ship, knowing that he did run away from this mighty God. were the men exceedingly afraid Their fear was doubled, every thing now represents horrour to them, their own danger, Nineveh's approaching dismal ruin which they believe by what they see; satisfied, that he so tremendously punisht the refusal to deliver the message, was able, and certainly would execute the sentence which he commanded should be delivered., and said unto him, Why hast thou done Now they ask a reason for that of which no reason can be given; It was most unreasonable that Ionah had done, and we find no answer to this interrogatory, though the foregoing questions were answered; others think 'tis a reproof of him for so doing, I rather think it mixt of both; 'twas a real reproof to him-self while he more particularly explains the great sinfulness of this prank of his; and 'tis an enquiry made for satisfaction to them, who no doubt thought of Ionah's God as they did of their own, that 'twas no hard matter to be done, nor any great sin, if done, to run from their presence. These likely were their thoughts of the thing when he first told them; but the dreadful storm that Ionah's God sent after this fugitive Servant of his, makes them more curious to know what great sin it was, and so Ionah explaining the whole, confesseth his sin, humbleth himself, and takes the reproof to himself, and informeth them aright. this? for the men The Master of the Ship, and the Marriners. knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD In these words 'tis probable he told them, now though they knew this was the thing yet they apprehended not what was in it, but did judge of this by their own Gods, and their presence,, because he had told when they enquired the cause of his Travels, as 'tis very like they would do, e're they took his fare. them

¶ Then When they heard all that Ionah had declared to them, and well weigh'd it all, and saw it lookt, all of one piece, most credible. said they unto him A Prophet fittest in that respect to tell them what should be done, and a Party so highly concerned in it., What shall we do unto thee If thy God will by thee declare his Will, and we do it, we shall not provoke him, and if thou submit to his Will, and direct us, we shall not injure thee. that the sea may be calm Cease its rage; and return to its former calmness for us to make our Voyage. unto us? for the sea wrought and was tempestuous Though Ionah had recounted all, and given Glory to God, taken shame to himself, and satisfied the Sea-men, yet the Sea grew higher and higher, more tempestuous in it self, and more dangerous to them, and they were sensible that somewhat must be done with Ionah to quiet all. Their fear was lest they should mistake herein, and therefore they ask his Counsel..

And he said unto them He readily gives them advice for their safety., Take me up This he spake as a Prophet directed of God, and not as some Iewish Rabbi thinks choosing to die rather than to go to Nineveh., and cast me forth into the sea Throw me overboard into the Sea, no other way must you deal with me than this, and this way I not only direct as expedient, but from God I give you it as a Command, and you must do it, thus my God-will punish my disobedience and contempt., so shall the sea be calm unto you As a Prophet I assure you the Tempest shall cease, and you be safe, and by that you may know I being in the ship, endanger'd you all., for I know I am assured of this, and though I have been your danger, and this was my fault, yet it shall not be my fault if you be drowned. that for my sake For my sin which God will punish, but not by my own act, I must not leap over board, 'tis a crime God will punish by that Justice which is in this place, this great tempest is upon you and will be till you have executed God's sentence on me, which I willingly submit to..

Nevertheless And, Heb. but rightly to the proper sense of the phrase rendred here nevertheless, not withstanding the lot fell on Ionah, he confessed his fault, directs them to cast him over board, and in all this avoweth himself to be a Prophet of God, and assures them of a calm Sea if they do this, yet very willing to save him. the men rowed hard They contrived all wayes, and are willing to be at any labour to save him; they ply their oars, and strain their strength with deep stroaks to force the Ship to shoar. to bring it to land, but they could All was lost labour, God had given other order to his Servants, the Wind and Sea, both obey him, and both keep Ionah a Prisoner, self condemned, and desirous of what the Marriners were very unwilling to. not; for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them Vid, ver. 11. let. i. the Sea tost it self more violently, and by unsteddy motions like some Hurricane every moment endangered them..

Wherefore Since all their labour and skill to carry the ship to shore was successless, and they saw no remedy, but they must either follow Ionah's advice against himself, or drown with him. they cryed With importunity of mind, and with loud voices too in prayer. unto the LORD Not now as in beginning of the Tempest every man to his God, but better instructed now they all do cry to Ionah's God, to Iehovah the true God., and said, We They all join in Prayer, beseech sue to Mercy for Mercy, they plead not innocency, or merit, but pray for mercy, and that free. thee All sue to God, not to Saints, or intermediate Daemons., O LORD, we beseech thee 'Tis repeated to note their vehemency in prayer,, let us not perish for this mans life Though he is pointed out by lot, has advised us hereunto, yet if possible let the tempest cease, and we all be safe, let not him perish, nor we for him, so their first Prayer is for safety to Ionah and all in the Ship., and lay not upon us innocent blood This the next suit that if God by the continued Tempest do peremptorily and irreversibly require Ionah's Life, a person innocent among them, and had, since he came to them so demean'd himself, so that should they throw him overboard, before they had tryed all kind of means for preserving him, they might be justly accounted barbarous Murtherers, and God would certainly charge innocent blood upon them; This they deprecate with all earnestness and importunity.: for thou, O LORD, hast done Sending the Tempest, arresting the Prophet by it, detecting him by lot, sentencing him by his own mouth, and confirming the condemning sentence by the continuance of the storm, and so leaving us to perish with this offender against thee, or to be thy Executioners, this is thine own doing, and 'tis just because thou doest it: as it pleased thee Though it be secret to us, and strange in our opinion, yet 'tis very just and necessary we know, or it would not please thee it should be so..

So And, Heb. they took up Jonah As he advised with regret to themselves, though with full consent of Jonah, at last they yield., and cast him forth into the sea Vid. ver. 11. let. m., and the sea ceased from her raging As Jonah had assured them, so they find the Sea all on a sudden calm and friendly, which we must understand includes the wind sent into the Sea, though it be not mentioned here..

Then When they saw God approved the thing, and confirmed Jonah's word, as of a true Prophet, and had spared them. the men The Sea-men, and all others, if any others were in the ship feared the LORD With a deep reverence of his Power, Wisdom, and Justice against Jonah, and of his Mercy towards them. What was the final effect of this, and whether they were by it throughly turned to God, I enquire not now, it may best become our charity that as Jonah's casting overboard was Type of Christ's Death, so the effect it had upon the Mariners might be a Type of the conversion of the Heathen from Idols to God. exceedingly Their fear before was exceeding great, but that was a fear of the danger, and for themselves a natural fear; but now they do fear the Lord and his Majesty and Mercy, it is a Religious fear., and offered a sacrifice What they had in the ship to offer to God, or how they could offer there, appears not to us, but the Scripture affirms they did sacrifice, not to Idols, but to the true God: Some suppose the words are to be interpreted that they would sacrifice at Jerusalem, where they now know that the God of Jonah was worshipped. unto the LORD, and made vows Vows are a part of Natural Religion, and here these persons bind themselves by vows to recognise God's goodness in their deliverance. It is not improbable that here is a Trajection as many times in Scripture, that placed last which in construction is to be first. They vowed Vows and Sacrificed, i. e. vowed they would do it, would be Proselytes, and ever Worship him, Jonah preacht to them, Creator of Heaven and Earth..

¶ Now And, Heb. the LORD had prepared Created at first say some, but what need that when a mighty overgrown fish of a double age may do this by God's will and appointment attended the ship, and follow'd it in the storm, expecting a prey, and ready to receive the Prisoner. a great fish A Whale as we read, Math. 12.40. others say 'twas a shark, a fish common in those seas. to swallow Not to chew upon him, but to take him down whole, up Jonah: And Jonah was in the belly of the fish in safe custody, three days, and three nights that he might rightly typify Christ's Burial in the Grave..