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The Book of Jonah

CRITIQUE | QUOTES | THE TEXT

Illustration from 1502 editionThe Old Testament, KJV
By uknown author
Publication details ▽ Publication details △

Also called
The Book of Jonas, Jonah and the Whale, Jonah and the Big Fish

First publication
c.400 BCE

Literature form
Story

Genres
Mythology

Writing language
Hebrew

Author's country
Israel

Length
Approx. 1,300 words (King James version)

Notable lines

Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

— First lines, King James Version

Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

 

And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land. 

 

Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more then sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

— Last lines, King James Version

 

CRITIQUE | QUOTES | THE TEXT