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Jonah 3:9

Old Testament Minor Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Jonah 3:9 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Who knoweth whether God will not turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Who knoweth whether God will not turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
Jonah 3:9 — American Standard Version

Context — Jonah 3

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
6And the tidings reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
7And he made proclamation and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink water;
8but let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and beast, and let them cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in his hands.
9Who knoweth whether God will not turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
10And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil which he said he would do unto them; and he did it not.
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Who can tell, etc.] The Septuagint and Arabic versions prefix to this the word “saying”, and take them to be, not the words of the king, but of the Ninevites; though very wrongly: or “who is he that knows”; which some connect with the next word, “he will return”: that is, that knows the ways of repentance, he will return, as Kimchi and Ben Melech; or that knows that he has sinned, as Aben Ezra: or that knows the transgressions he is guilty of, will return, as Jarchi; and so the Targum, “whosoever knows that sins are in his hands, he will return, or let him return, from them:” but they are the words of the king, with respect to God, encouraging his subjects to the above things, from the…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Who can tell--(Compare ). Their acting on a vague possibility of God's mercy, without any special ground of encouragement, is the more remarkable instance of faith, as they had to break through long-rooted prejudices in giving up idols to seek Jehovah at all. The only ground which their ready faith rested on, was the fact of God sending one to warn them, instead of destroying them at once; this suggested the thought of a possibility of pardon. Hence they are cited by Christ as about to condemn in the judgment those who, with much greater light and privileges, yet repent not ().”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Who can tell if God will turn and repent? - The Ninevites use the same form of words, which God suggested by Joel to Judah. Perhaps He would thereby indicate that He had Himself put it into their mouths. “In uncertainty they repented, and obtained certain mercy” . “It is therefore left uncertain, that men, being doubtful of their salvation, may repent the more vehemently and the more draw down on themselves the mercy of God” . “Most certain are the promises of God, whereby He has promised pardon to the penitent. And yet the sinner may well be uncertain whether he have obtained that penitence which makes him the object of those promises, not a servile repentance for fear of punishment, but…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Jon 1:6; Sa2 12:22; Psa 106:45; Joe 2:13, Joe 2:14; Amo 5:15; Luk 15:18-20 Jonah 3:10”
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Related study paths

Read Jonah 3 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification