1
Καὶ ἐγένετο λόγος κυρίου πρὸς Ιωναν ἐκ δευτέρου λέγων
And the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying,
Resumption / renewalΚαίThe standard prophetic messenger-formula (ἐγένετο λόγος κυρίου πρός) resumes the narrative after the psalm of ch. 2; ἐκ δευτέρου ('a second time') signals divine persistence and Jonah's new chance — a pivotal marker for the whole chapter's movement.
Καὶandcoordinating conjunction (narrative continuative)
ἐγένετοcame / happenedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (prophetic formula)→ constative aorist (single event)γίνομαι: 'become, happen, come to be'; in the prophetic formula ἐγένετο λόγος it renders the Hebrew וַיְהִי דְבַר (Hebraism) — a calque of the standard OT messenger introduction.
λόγοςwordNominativesubject nominativeλόγος: 'word, utterance'; here the prophetic revelatory word of God, rendering דָּבָר.
κυρίουof the LordGenitivegenitive of source / originκύριος: LXX rendering of the Tetragrammaton (יהוה); anarthrous here as is standard in the formula.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction, recipient)
ΙωνανJonahAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (recipient of word)Ιωνας: Jonah, son of Amittai; a Greek rendering of יוֹנָה ('dove'); declinable proper name.
ἐκfrom / for thepreposition + genitive (ordinal expression)
δευτέρουsecond (time)Genitivegenitive in idiom ἐκ δευτέρου ('a second time')δεύτερος: 'second'; the idiom ἐκ δευτέρου = 'again, a second time,' underlining divine persistence after Jonah's flight and the fish episode.
λέγωνsayingPres Act Ptc Nom Sg Masc · λέγωattendant circumstance participle (introduces direct speech)→ present participle (contemporaneous action)λέγω: 'say'; the participle λέγων after ἐγένετο λόγος is a Hebraism (לֵאמֹר), a standard OT speech-introduction particle rendered mechanically in the LXX.
2
Ἀνάστηθι καὶ πορεύθητι εἰς Νινευη τὴν πόλιν τὴν μεγάλην καὶ κήρυξον ἐν αὐτῇ κατὰ τὸ κήρυγμα τὸ ἔμπροσθεν ὃ ἐγὼ ἐλάλησα πρὸς σέ.
Arise and go to Nineveh, the great city, and proclaim in it according to the proclamation that I formerly spoke to you.
Divine commission (content of word)asyndetonAsyndeton opens the divine speech as three stacked imperatives (ἀνάστηθι, πορεύθητι, κήρυξον) driving rapid command. The phrase κατὰ τὸ κήρυγμα τὸ ἔμπροσθεν ('according to the proclamation formerly [spoken]') is distinctive to the LXX; it implies continuity with the original commission of 1:2 and emphasizes that what Jonah must say is already determined.
ἈνάστηθιariseAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀνίστημιmain verb (imperative, first of three stacked commands)→ ingressive aorist imperative (begin the action)ἀνίστημι: 'rise, get up'; the commission-opener echoes 1:2 exactly; the verb renders קוּם and is a standard biblical Hebraism for beginning purposeful action.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (chains imperatives)
πορεύθητιgoAor Pass Impv 2 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (imperative, second command)→ ingressive aorist imperativeπορεύομαι: 'go, travel, proceed'; renders הָלַךְ in LXX commissions.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal/direction)
ΝινευηNinevehindeclinable proper name, object of εἰςΝινευη: Nineveh, the Assyrian capital on the Tigris; indeclinable transliteration of נִינְוֵה.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle with following noun
πόλινcityAccusativeaccusative in apposition to Νινευηπόλις: 'city'; the apposition 'the great city' (ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη) is the formulaic epithet for Nineveh in Jonah (1:2; 3:2, 3; 4:11).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (attributive position)
μεγάληνgreatAccusativeattributive adjectiveμέγας: 'great, large'; the epithet recurs at 3:3; 4:11, always emphasizing the scale of the challenge and of God's mercy.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
κήρυξονproclaimAor Act Impv 2 Sg · κηρύσσωmain verb (imperative, third command)→ constative aorist imperative (the whole act of proclamation)κηρύσσω: 'herald, proclaim'; the herald's public announcement; the noun κήρυγμα in the same verse creates a figura etymologica (κήρυξον … κήρυγμα).
ἐνinpreposition + dative (sphere/location of proclamation)
αὐτῇitDativedative object of ἐν (referent: Nineveh)
κατὰaccording topreposition + accusative (standard / norm)
τὸtheAccusativearticle
κήρυγμαproclamationAccusativeaccusative object of κατά (norm of proclamation)κήρυγμα: 'proclamation, message'; cognate with κηρύσσω — a figura etymologica; in the NT κήρυγμα becomes the standard term for the apostolic preaching (1 Cor 1:21; 2:4).
τὸtheAccusativearticle (attributive)
ἔμπροσθενformer / beforeadverb used attributively (the previous proclamation)ἔμπροσθεν: 'before, in front of, formerly'; used here adverbially with the article to specify the prior commission of 1:2; the LXX idiom differs from MT.
ὃwhichAccusativerelative pronoun, accusative (object of ἐλάλησα)
ἐγὼINominativesubject pronoun (emphatic)
ἐλάλησαspokeAor Act Indic 1 Sg · λαλέωmain verb of relative clause→ constative aorist (the original commissioning act)λαλέω: 'speak'; often used in LXX for divine utterance.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (recipient)
σέyouAccusativeaccusative, object of πρός
3
Καὶ ἀνέστη Ιωνας καὶ ἐπορεύθη εἰς Νινευη καθὼς ἐλάλησεν κύριος. καὶ Νινευη ἦν πόλις μεγάλη τῷ θεῷ ὡσεὶ πορεία ἡμερῶν τριῶν.
And Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, just as the Lord had spoken. Now Nineveh was a great city before God, a journey of three days.
Narrative sequence (obedience report + scene-setting)ΚαίThe verse divides neatly: the first clause reports Jonah's instant compliance, mirroring the imperatives of v.2 with their corresponding indicatives (ἀνέστη / ἐπορεύθη); the second is a descriptive parenthesis on Nineveh's scale. The phrase τῷ θεῷ ('before God,' 'to God') is a Hebraism — לֵאלֹהִים — used to intensify a superlative, meaning 'immensely great'; cf. 'garden of God' (Gen 13:10).
Καὶandcoordinating conjunction (narrative continuative)
ἀνέστηaroseAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀνίστημιmain verb (obedience action 1)→ ingressive aorist (began to rise and act)ἀνίστημι: mirrors the imperative ἀνάστηθι of v.2 — the narrative enacts the command word for word, underscoring Jonah's this-time compliance.
ΙωναςJonahNominativesubject nominative
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐπορεύθηwentAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (obedience action 2)→ constative aorist (completed journey)πορεύομαι: mirrors πορεύθητι of v.2; the passive form is deponent.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal)
ΝινευηNinevehindeclinable proper noun, object of εἰς
καθὼςjust ascomparative conjunction (conformity to divine word)
ἐλάλησενhad spokenAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαλέωmain verb of comparative clause→ constative aoristλαλέω: 'speak'; the aorist here recalls the divine speech of vv.1–2.
κύριοςthe LordNominativesubject nominativeκύριος: Tetragrammaton; the subject confirming divine authority behind the command.
καὶnowcoordinating conjunction (scene-setting parenthesis)
ΝινευηNinevehindeclinable proper noun, subject of ἦν
ἦνwasImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (descriptive parenthesis)→ descriptive imperfect (ongoing state)εἰμί: 'be'; the imperfect signals a narrative aside describing the city's character.
πόλιςcityNominativepredicate nominativeπόλις: 'city'; reuses the formula of v.2.
μεγάληgreatNominativepredicate adjectiveμέγας: 'great'; the scale prepares for the remarkable scope of the repentance.
τῷto / beforeDativearticle
θεῷGodDativedative of reference (superlative Hebraism: 'great before God' = divinely/immensely great)θεός: 'God'; the dative τῷ θεῷ here is a Hebraism (לֵאלֹהִים) used to form a superlative — 'exceedingly great city'; cf. Gen 13:10; Acts 7:20 ('beautiful to God').
ὡσεὶabout / as it werecomparative particle (approximation)ὡσεί: 'as if, approximately'; softens the numerical estimate.
πορείαjourneyNominativepredicate nominative (appositive measure)πορεία: 'journey, march'; the city's diameter estimated in days of travel — a common ancient measure of city-size.
ἡμερῶνof daysGenitivegenitive of measureἡμέρα: 'day'; the genitive quantifies the journey.
τριῶνthreeGenitivenumeral in genitive of measureτρεῖς: 'three'; the same number as the oracle's deadline in v.4 (LXX), creating an ironic numeric echo — the city that takes three days to cross has three days to repent.
4
καὶ ἤρξατο Ιωνας τοῦ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν πόλιν ὡσεὶ πορείαν ἡμέρας μιᾶς καὶ ἐκήρυξεν καὶ εἶπεν Ἔτι τρεῖς ἡμέραι καὶ Νινευη καταστραφήσεται.
And Jonah began to enter the city, about a day's journey, and he proclaimed and said, 'Yet three days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!'
Narrative sequence (proclamation)καίThe textual-theological crux of the chapter: the LXX reads ἔτι τρεῖς ἡμέραι ('yet three days') against the MT's forty. The quoted oracle is a mere clause — no explanation, no escape clause — and the verb καταστραφήσεται echoes Sodom's overthrow (Gen 19 LXX). Jonah's entry 'a day's journey' into the three-day city implies he is still near the edge when he speaks.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἤρξατοbeganAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἄρχωmain verb (inceptive — governs infinitive)→ ingressive aorist (commencement of entry)ἄρχω (mid.): 'begin'; introduces the infinitive of εἰσέρχομαι; the inceptive aspect highlights that Jonah has only started his traversal.
ΙωναςJonahNominativesubject nominative
τοῦtoGenitivegenitive article (introduces articular infinitive after ἄρχομαι)
εἰσελθεῖνenterAor Act Inf · εἰσέρχομαιcomplementary infinitive (object of ἤρξατο)→ ingressive aorist infinitiveεἰσέρχομαι: 'go in, enter'; the compound signals directional entry into the city.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (goal of entry)
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
πόλινcityAccusativeaccusative object of εἰςπόλις: 'city'; the definite article anaforically refers to Nineveh.
ὡσεὶaboutapproximative particle
πορείανjourneyAccusativeaccusative of extent (measure of distance traveled)πορεία: 'journey'; accusative of extent of space; one day into a three-day city.
ἡμέραςof a dayGenitivegenitive of measureἡμέρα: 'day'.
μιᾶςoneGenitivenumeral genitive (one day's journey)εἷς: 'one'; μιᾶς is the genitive feminine form.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐκήρυξενproclaimedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · κηρύσσωmain verb (proclamation action)→ constative aorist (the whole act of heralding)κηρύσσω: 'herald, proclaim publicly'; echoes κήρυξον and κήρυγμα of v.2 — the narrative fulfills the commission.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (epexegetic — introduces content)
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (introduces direct speech)→ constative aoristλέγω: 'say'; the pair ἐκήρυξεν καὶ εἶπεν is a Semitic pleonasm — to herald and say.
Ἔτιyet / stilltemporal adverb (residual time before judgment)ἔτι: 'still, yet, moreover'; marks remaining duration — the countdown is already running.
τρεῖςthreeNominativesubject numeral (predicate of verbless clause)τρεῖς: 'three' — the LXX's distinctive reading against MT's forty (אַרְבָּעִים); the number three may activate the biblical death-and-restoration motif (Hos 6:2; Jon 2:1; cf. Matt 12:40) and heightens urgency; the deviation from MT is ancient and consistent in the LXX tradition.
ἡμέραιdaysNominativesubject nominative (verbless clause: 'three days [remain]')ἡμέρα: 'day'; the verbless clause is a dramatic oracle-form — no verb, just the countdown and the verdict.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (apodosis marker: 'and then')
ΝινευηNinevehindeclinable proper noun, subject of καταστραφήσεται
καταστραφήσεταιshall be overthrownFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · καταστρέφωmain verb (oracle of judgment)→ predictive future (divine decree)καταστρέφω: 'overturn, overthrow, destroy'; the passive voice makes God the implied agent; the same verb is used in the LXX of the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:21, 25, 29 — καταστροφή/καταστρέψω), making Nineveh's threatened fate an explicit Sodom-echo.
5
καὶ ἐνεπίστευσαν οἱ ἄνδρες Νινευη τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐκήρυξαν νηστείαν καὶ ἐνεδύσαντο σάκκους ἀπὸ μεγάλου αὐτῶν ἕως μικροῦ αὐτῶν.
And the men of Nineveh believed God, and they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.
Immediate consequence (response to proclamation)καίThe pivot of the whole book: the pagan city's instant, total belief. The verb ἐνεπίστευσαν + dative (τῷ θεῷ) matches the formula of Gen 15:6 LXX (ἐπίστευσεν Αβραμ τῷ θεῷ) — Nineveh's faith is cast in Abrahamic terms. Matthew 12:41 and Luke 11:32 cite the Ninevites' repentance as a rebuke to Jesus' generation.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (result)
ἐνεπίστευσανbelievedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐμπιστεύω / πιστεύωmain verb→ constative aorist (the whole act of believing)ἐμπιστεύω (or πιστεύω ἐν): 'believe, trust in'; the construction πιστεύω + dative is the LXX idiom for saving faith — matching Gen 15:6 LXX (Abram believed God); the NT resonance via Matt 12:41 is direct. The compound form with ἐν- may strengthen the sense ('put faith in').
οἱtheNominativearticle
ἄνδρεςmenNominativesubject nominativeἀνήρ: 'man, male, person'; the term here likely means 'the people (men)' of Nineveh generically; Matt 12:41 uses the same word (ἄνδρες Νινευῖται).
Νινευηof Ninevehindeclinable genitive-like proper noun (possessive/source: 'Ninevites')
τῷin / toDativearticle (dative with θεῷ, object of belief)
θεῷGodDativedative object of ἐνεπίστευσαν (object of faith)θεός: 'God'; anarthrous; the dative construction mirrors Gen 15:6 LXX exactly — the Ninevites' faith is framed in the same terms as Abraham's saving trust.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐκήρυξανproclaimedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · κηρύσσωmain verb (public act of fasting announcement)→ constative aoristκηρύσσω: 'proclaim, herald'; the Ninevites now themselves κηρύσσω — using the same verb as Jonah's commission (vv.2, 4); a neat irony: the reluctant prophet's single proclamation triggers the city's own proclamation.
νηστείανa fastAccusativeaccusative direct object (content of proclamation)νηστεία: 'fasting, abstention from food'; a standard penitential practice; the Hebrew צוֹם rendered faithfully.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐνεδύσαντοput onAor Mid Indic 3 Pl · ἐνδύωmain verb (penitential gesture)→ constative aoristἐνδύω (mid.): 'put on, clothe oneself'; the middle voice emphasizes self-clothing as a deliberate act of mourning.
σάκκουςsackcloth(s)Accusativeaccusative direct object (garment of mourning)σάκκος: 'sack, sackcloth'; the coarse fabric worn as a sign of grief and penitence throughout the OT (Gen 37:34; Isa 58:5; Joel 1:8); borrowed from Hebrew שַׂק.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (starting point of merism)
μεγάλουthe greatestGenitivegenitive (first pole of merism)μέγας: 'great'; used substantively — 'from their great one to their small one' is a merism for 'everyone without exception.'
αὐτῶνof themGenitivegenitive of possession (first pole)
ἕωςto / untilpreposition + genitive (endpoint of merism)ἕως: 'until, as far as, up to'; in ἀπό … ἕως merisms it means 'to' (endpoint).
μικροῦthe leastGenitivegenitive (second pole of merism)μικρός: 'small, little'; used substantively as second pole of the all-inclusive merism; cf. Rev 11:18; 19:5, 18 for the same merism.
αὐτῶνof themGenitivegenitive of possession (second pole)
6
καὶ ἤγγισεν ὁ λόγος πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα τῆς Νινευη καὶ ἐξανέστη ἀπὸ τοῦ θρόνου αὐτοῦ καὶ περιείλατο τὴν στολὴν αὐτοῦ ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ περιεβάλετο σάκκον καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐπὶ σποδοῦ.
And the word reached the king of Nineveh, and he rose from his throne and removed his robe from himself and put on sackcloth and sat in ashes.
Narrative sequence (royal response)καίFour staccato aorist verbs trace the king's demotion from pomp to ash: he rises, strips his robe, puts on sackcloth, and sits in ashes. Each action reverses a marker of royal dignity — an artful inversion. The report reaches the king (ἤγγισεν ὁ λόγος) via the people's response, not via direct divine address; the king acts on the people's lead.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἤγγισενreached / came nearAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐγγίζωmain verb (report arrives at the king)→ constative aoristἐγγίζω: 'draw near, approach, reach'; used here of a report reaching a person — an idiom for news arriving.
ὁtheNominativearticle
λόγοςword / reportNominativesubject nominativeλόγος: 'word, report'; here the news of Jonah's oracle and the people's response; contrasts with ὁ λόγος κυρίου at vv.1–2.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (recipient)
τὸνtheAccusativearticle
βασιλέαkingAccusativeaccusative object of πρόςβασιλεύς: 'king'; the king of Nineveh is unnamed — the LXX (like MT) never identifies him; historically Nineveh was not the Assyrian capital in Jonah's era, but the book does not intend a precise historical chronicle.
τῆςofGenitivearticle
ΝινευηNinevehindeclinable genitive-function proper noun (possessive: 'king of Nineveh')
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐξανέστηrose upAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξανίστημιmain verb (first royal gesture)→ ingressive aoristἐξανίστημι: 'rise up, stand up from'; the ἐξ- prefix adds force ('stood right up'); a gesture of urgency or submission.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (separation from throne)
τοῦtheGenitivearticle
θρόνουthroneGenitivegenitive of separationθρόνος: 'throne'; symbol of royal authority; he leaves it — an act of voluntary humiliation before God.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
περιείλατοremoved / took offAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · περιαιρέωmain verb (second royal gesture — stripping robe)→ constative aoristπεριαιρέω (mid.): 'take off from around oneself, strip off'; the middle voice emphasizes the reflexive act of self-divestiture.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
στολὴνrobeAccusativeaccusative direct objectστολή: 'robe, garment, stole'; the royal robe, a mark of rank; its removal signals self-abasement.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession
ἀφ᾽frompreposition + genitive (separation, elided ἀπό)
ἑαυτοῦhimselfGenitivereflexive genitive (from his own person)ἑαυτοῦ: reflexive pronoun, genitive; 'from himself' — the reflexive underscores the personal, volitional nature of the act.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
περιεβάλετοput onAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · περιβάλλωmain verb (third royal gesture — clothing in sackcloth)→ constative aoristπεριβάλλω (mid.): 'throw around oneself, clothe oneself'; the middle voice is reflexive — he dresses himself in mourning garb.
σάκκονsackclothAccusativeaccusative direct object (garment put on)σάκκος: 'sackcloth'; mirrors the people's σάκκους at v.5 — the king joins the universal penitence.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐκάθισενsatAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καθίζωmain verb (fourth royal gesture — sitting in ashes)→ constative aoristκαθίζω: 'sit, seat oneself'; sitting in ashes (ἐπὶ σποδοῦ) is the deepest gesture of mourning and self-abasement in the OT — cf. Job 2:8; Esth 4:3 LXX.
ἐπὶon / inpreposition + genitive (surface upon which sitting occurs)
σποδοῦashesGenitivegenitive after ἐπί (ashes as surface of sitting)σποδός: 'ash, cinders'; sitting in ashes (cf. Matt 11:21 // Luke 10:13: 'they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes') is the intensest expression of penitential humility.
7
καὶ ἐκηρύχθη καὶ ἐρρέθη ἐν τῇ Νινευη παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ παρὰ τῶν μεγιστάνων αὐτοῦ λέγων Οἱ ἄνθρωποι καὶ τὰ κτήνη καὶ οἱ βόες καὶ τὰ πρόβατα μὴ γευσάσθωσαν μηδέν μὴ νεμέσθωσαν μηδὲ ὕδωρ πιέτωσαν.
And it was proclaimed and said in Nineveh by the king and by his nobles, saying: 'Let neither the people nor the cattle nor the oxen nor the sheep taste anything; let them not graze, nor let them drink water.'
Narrative sequence (royal decree — content begins)καίThe double passive (ἐκηρύχθη καὶ ἐρρέθη) with the participial λέγων is a Semitic pleonasm introducing the edict's content. The decree extends the fast to animals — cattle, oxen, and sheep — an extraordinary expansion of the penitential act beyond human participants. The animal inclusion has parallels in Judith 4:10 and in later Jewish sources; it intensifies the corporate, cosmic scope of the city's repentance.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐκηρύχθηit was proclaimedAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · κηρύσσωmain verb (official proclamation, passive — divine/royal authority implied)→ constative aoristκηρύσσω: 'proclaim'; now the third use in the chapter (vv.2, 4, 7) — commission, oracle, and royal edict all share the same verb.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (pleonastic pair)
ἐρρέθηit was saidAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ῥέω / λέγωmain verb (second of Semitic double verb introducing decree)→ constative aoristῥέω / λέγω (irregular suppletive aorist passive εἰρέθη / ἐρρέθη): 'was said'; the pair ἐκηρύχθη καὶ ἐρρέθη is a Hebraism (וַיִּזָּעֵק וַיֹּאמֶר) — a double verb of announcement before direct speech.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (location of proclamation)
τῇtheDativearticle
ΝινευηNinevehindeclinable proper noun, object of ἐν
παρὰby / frompreposition + genitive (agent of passive verb)
τοῦtheGenitivearticle
βασιλέωςkingGenitivegenitive of agent (first authority behind the decree)βασιλεύς: 'king'; the agent of the edict — his personal example (v.6) precedes his public decree.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
παρὰby / frompreposition + genitive (second agent)
τῶνtheGenitivearticle
μεγιστάνωνnobles / great onesGenitivegenitive of agent (co-issuers of the decree)μεγιστάν: 'noble, magnate, great one' (pl. μεγιστᾶνες); a loan from Persian/Aramaic via Hebrew; the same word appears in LXX Esth, 1 Macc, and Dan for court officials.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (the king's nobles)
λέγωνsayingPres Act Ptc Nom Sg Masc · λέγωattendant circumstance participle (Hebraism introducing direct speech)→ present participle (contemporaneous with proclamation)λέγω: see note at v.1; the λέγων before a royal decree is a calque of לֵאמֹר.
ΟἱtheNominativearticle (subject of decree)
ἄνθρωποιpeople / menNominativesubject nominative (first category under prohibition)ἄνθρωπος: 'human being, person'; here generic for the human population.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (extends subjects)
τὰtheNominativearticle
κτήνηcattle / livestockNominativesubject nominative (second category)κτῆνος: 'beast, cattle, livestock'; general term for domestic animals; the inclusion of animals in the fast is remarkable — a feature that reads almost satirically (Jon 4:11 similarly mentions the cattle).
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
οἱtheNominativearticle
βόεςoxenNominativesubject nominative (third category)βοῦς: 'ox, bull, cattle'; the LXX lists cattle (κτήνη), oxen (βόες), and sheep (πρόβατα) separately — a more detailed enumeration than some readings of the MT.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
τὰtheNominativearticle
πρόβαταsheep / flocksNominativesubject nominative (fourth category)πρόβατον: 'sheep'; the most common domestic animal in the ancient Near East; its inclusion extends the solidarity of penitence to the whole created order under human stewardship.
μὴnotnegative particle (with imperative of prohibition)
γευσάσθωσανlet them tasteAor Mid Impv 3 Pl · γεύομαιmain verb (third-person prohibition)→ aorist imperative of prohibitionγεύομαι: 'taste, eat, partake of'; with μή, a prohibition against eating anything — absolute food abstention.
μηδένanything / nothingAccusativeaccusative direct object (of γευσάσθωσαν — total prohibition)μηδείς: 'no one, nothing'; accusative neuter here as object of the prohibition.
μὴnotnegative particle
νεμέσθωσανlet them grazePres Mid Impv 3 Pl · νέμωmain verb (third-person prohibition — animal-specific)→ present imperative of prohibition (cease ongoing grazing)νέμω (mid.): 'pasture, graze'; used specifically of livestock grazing; the prohibition of grazing alongside drinking water intensifies the animals' participation in the fast.
μηδὲnornegative coordinating conjunction (continuing prohibition)μηδέ: 'and not, nor'; continues the negative chain.
ὕδωρwaterAccusativeaccusative direct object (of πιέτωσαν)ὕδωρ: 'water'; the prohibition of water distinguishes this from a food-only fast — it is a total abstention.
πιέτωσανlet them drinkAor Act Impv 3 Pl · πίνωmain verb (third prohibition)→ aorist imperative of prohibitionπίνω: 'drink'; the aorist imperative with μηδέ prohibits any act of drinking.
8
καὶ περιεβάλοντο σάκκους οἱ ἄνθρωποι καὶ τὰ κτήνη καὶ ἀνεβόησαν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἐκτενῶς καὶ ἀπέστρεψαν ἕκαστος ἀπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ τῆς πονηρᾶς καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀδικίας τῆς ἐν χερσὶν αὐτῶν λέγοντες
And both the people and the cattle put on sackcloth, and they cried out to God urgently, and each one turned from his evil way and from the violence that was in their hands, saying,
Narrative sequence (enactment of decree — corporate repentance)καίVerse 8 enacts the decree of v.7 with a string of aorists: people and cattle in sackcloth, urgent cry to God, and the moral turning (ἀπέστρεψαν) from evil ways and violence. The phrase 'violence in their hands' (ἀδικία ἐν χερσίν) is a Hebraism for the concrete wrong done by one's acts. The moral dimension of the repentance — not just ritual — is crucial: the city must change its behavior, not merely its wardrobe.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
περιεβάλοντοput onAor Mid Indic 3 Pl · περιβάλλωmain verb (enactment of sackcloth decree)→ constative aoristπεριβάλλω (mid.): 'clothe oneself, wrap around'; mirrors the king's action in v.6 — the population follows the royal example.
σάκκουςsackcloth(s)Accusativeaccusative direct object (garments of mourning)σάκκος: 'sackcloth'; used for the third time in the chapter (vv.5, 6, 8), creating a verbal refrain of penitential clothing.
οἱtheNominativearticle
ἄνθρωποιpeopleNominativesubject nominative (first group)ἄνθρωπος: 'human being'; the people carry out what the decree commanded.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (extends subject)
τὰtheNominativearticle
κτήνηcattleNominativesubject nominative (second group — animals also clothed)κτῆνος: 'beast, livestock'; the animals also put on sackcloth — a literalistic detail that has been read both as earnest piety and as gentle irony.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἀνεβόησανcried outAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀναβοάωmain verb (penitential prayer)→ constative aoristἀναβοάω: 'cry out, shout aloud'; the ἀνά- prefix adds intensity ('cry up toward'); the corporate outcry to God is the auditory counterpart of the visual sackcloth.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of prayer)
τὸνtheAccusativearticle
θεὸνGodAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (recipient of prayer)θεός: 'God'; the Ninevites cry to Israel's God — whether they understand him as their own god or the god of the prophet is left open.
ἐκτενῶςurgently / ferventlyadverb (manner of prayer — intensity)ἐκτενῶς: 'earnestly, fervently, urgently'; from ἐκτείνω ('stretch out') — prayer stretched to its full extent; the adverb appears in Acts 12:5 of the church's urgent prayer for Peter.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἀπέστρεψανturned away / repentedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀποστρέφωmain verb (moral turning — the key act of repentance)→ constative aorist (completed act of turning)ἀποστρέφω: 'turn away from, return from'; the moral sense — 'turn from sin' — is the central word of biblical repentance (שׁוּב in Hebrew); this is the heart of what God sees in v.10.
ἕκαστοςeach oneNominativedistributive subject nominative (individualizes the collective act)ἕκαστος: 'each, every one'; the distributive makes clear that the repentance is not merely a civic performance but an individual moral act.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (separation — turning from evil)
τῆςtheGenitivearticle
ὁδοῦwayGenitivegenitive of separation (the way turned from)ὁδός: 'way, road, manner of life'; 'his evil way' is the standard OT idiom for a sinful pattern of life (cf. Prov 1:15; Jer 18:11 LXX).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (each person's own way)
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (attributive with πονηρᾶς)
πονηρᾶςevilGenitiveattributive adjective (modifying ὁδοῦ)πονηρός: 'evil, wicked, bad'; the same root (πονηρία/κακία/κακός) threads through the chapter in a deliberate word-pattern: the evil way (v.8), evil deeds (v.10a), and the evil God planned (v.10b) — repentance interrupts the chain.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (adds second object of ἀπό)
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (second act of separation)
τῆςtheGenitivearticle
ἀδικίαςinjustice / violenceGenitivegenitive of separation (the specific wrong turned from)ἀδικία: 'injustice, unrighteousness, wrongdoing'; often rendering חָמָס ('violence') in the LXX, which is precisely the word of Jon 3:8 MT; the Ninevites must cease concrete acts of harm — the repentance is moral, not merely ritual.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (attributive genitive phrase)
ἐνinpreposition + dative (location — Hebraism for agency)
χερσὶνhandsDativedative of location (Hebraism: 'in their hands' = done by their hands)χείρ: 'hand'; the phrase ἀδικία ἐν χερσίν is a Hebraism for violence perpetrated by one's own actions (cf. Ps 7:4 LXX; Mic 7:3 LXX).
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession
λέγοντεςsayingPres Act Ptc Nom Pl Masc · λέγωattendant circumstance participle (introduces direct speech of the decree, continued in v.9)→ present participle (simultaneous with the proclamation)λέγω: the participial introduction to direct speech; the decree's content continues into v.9.
9
Τίς οἶδεν εἰ μετανοήσει ὁ θεὸς καὶ ἀποστρέψει ἀπὸ ὀργῆς θυμοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀπολώμεθα;
'Who knows whether God will repent and turn from his fierce anger, and we shall not perish?'
Penitential petition (direct speech — the decree's prayer)asyndetonThe rhetorical question τίς οἶδεν ('who knows?') is a classic formula of penitential openness: hope without presumption (cf. Joel 2:14; 2 Sam 12:22). The king's decree voices a conditional faith — perhaps God will relent. The two questions are actually one: if God turns, will we be saved? The aorist subjunctive ἀπολώμεθα with οὐ μή is a strong negation: 'we shall absolutely not perish.'
ΤίςwhoNominativeinterrogative pronoun, subject nominativeτίς: interrogative pronoun; 'who knows?' is a rhetorical formula of open-ended hope — not ignorance but humble contingency before God.
οἶδενknowsPerf Act Indic 3 Sg (pres. sense) · οἶδαmain verb (rhetorical question)→ intensive perfect with present forceοἶδα: 'know'; a perfect form with present sense; 'who knows?' (τίς οἶδεν) is a biblical idiom for contingent hope, used in Joel 2:14 in a nearly identical context of divine relenting.
εἰwhether / ifconditional particle (indirect question after 'who knows')εἰ: 'if, whether'; introduces indirect question; the conditional structure mirrors Joel 2:14 LXX.
μετανοήσειwill repent / relentFut Act Indic 3 Sg · μετανοέωmain verb of conditional clause (what is hoped for)→ predictive futureμετανοέω: 'repent, change mind, relent'; the same root as μετενόησεν in v.10; the king prays using the very word that describes God's actual response — the prayer anticipates the answer. The theological question of divine μετάνοια ('repentance') arises here: does God literally change his mind? The classical and Reformation answer is that this is an anthropopathism — God responds to changed human conditions in a way that, from the human perspective, looks like a change of plan, while his eternal character (mercy toward the penitent) remains constant.
ὁtheNominativearticle
θεὸςGodNominativesubject nominativeθεός: 'God'; the subject of the hoped-for relenting.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (adds second hoped-for action)
ἀποστρέψειwill turn awayFut Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστρέφωmain verb (second hoped-for divine act)→ predictive futureἀποστρέφω: 'turn away from'; the same verb used of the people's turning (v.8) — the wordplay is deliberate: if they turn (ἀπέστρεψαν, v.8), perhaps God will turn (ἀποστρέψει, v.9).
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (separation from anger)
ὀργῆςangerGenitivegenitive of separation (what God turns from)ὀργή: 'anger, wrath'; the first of a double genitive phrase describing divine displeasure: 'from anger of fury' — a Hebraism (חֲרוֹן אַף) for burning wrath.
θυμοῦof fury / wrathGenitivegenitive of quality (intensifying ὀργῆς — 'fierce anger')θυμός: 'passion, fury, burning anger'; the pair ὀργή + θυμός renders the Hebrew idiom חֲרוֹן אַף ('burning of anger') — two words for wrath stacked for intensity.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (God's anger)
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (consequential: 'and [so]')
οὐnotnegative particle (with μή = emphatic double negation)
μὴnotnegative particle (double negation with οὐ — strong denial of perishing)οὐ μή: the double negative with the aorist subjunctive is the strongest form of negation in Greek — 'we shall certainly not perish.'
ἀπολώμεθαwe perishAor Mid Subj 1 Pl · ἀπόλλυμιmain verb (hopeful consequence — strong negation with οὐ μή)→ aorist subjunctive with οὐ μή (emphatic future negation)ἀπόλλυμι (mid.): 'perish, be destroyed'; the middle/passive sense: 'be destroyed, die'; the threat of καταστραφήσεται (v.4) is here countered by the hope that it will not happen.
10
καὶ εἶδεν ὁ θεὸς τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν ὅτι ἀπέστρεψαν ἀπὸ τῶν ὁδῶν αὐτῶν τῶν πονηρῶν καὶ μετενόησεν ὁ θεὸς ἐπὶ τῇ κακίᾳ ᾗ ἐλάλησεν τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτοῖς καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησεν.
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil ways, and God relented concerning the evil that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.
Divine response (climax and resolution of the chapter)καίThe theological climax: God sees (εἶδεν) — the verb of divine recognition and judgment — and relents (μετενόησεν). The chapter closes with a stark ellipsis: καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησεν ('and he did not do it'). Four words dissolve the oracle of v.4. The double κακία ('evil') — the evil they turned from and the evil God planned — creates a chiasm: human evil abandoned, divine punishment withdrawn. This sets up the irony of ch. 4, where Jonah objects to precisely the divine mercy this verse enacts.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
εἶδενsawAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ὁράωmain verb (divine perception — judicial seeing)→ constative aoristὁράω: 'see, perceive'; divine seeing is a loaded act in the OT — God's look of recognition or examination leads to response; cf. Gen 1:31 (God saw all he had made, very good) and Gen 6:5 (God saw wickedness). Here God sees their works and acts accordingly.
ὁtheNominativearticle
θεὸςGodNominativesubject nominativeθεός: 'God'; the same θεός of v.9's prayer; the name frames the verse (subject of εἶδεν, then repeated as subject of μετενόησεν).
τὰtheAccusativearticle
ἔργαworks / deedsAccusativeaccusative direct object (what God sees)ἔργον: 'work, deed, act'; God's judgment is based on what they did — their works of repentance are concrete and visible to him.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession
ὅτιthatconjunction (content/causal — specifying what God saw)ὅτι: 'that, because'; here explicative — 'he saw their works, namely that they had turned.'
ἀπέστρεψανthey turned awayAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀποστρέφωmain verb of ὅτι clause (content of what God saw)→ constative aoristἀποστρέφω: 'turn away from'; the same verb as v.8 — God's seeing confirms that the people's turning (v.8) was genuine; his response in turn confirms the king's prayer (v.9).
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (separation from evil ways)
τῶνtheGenitivearticle
ὁδῶνwaysGenitivegenitive of separation (what they turned from)ὁδός: 'way, manner of life'; now plural — 'their evil ways' (collective); mirrors the singular of v.8 (ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ) with a collective plural.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (attributive with πονηρῶν)
πονηρῶνevilGenitiveattributive adjective (modifying ὁδῶν)πονηρός: 'evil'; links back to πονηρᾶς (v.8) — the chapter's evil-word chain: their evil ways (v.8), the evil they turned from (v.10a), the evil God planned (v.10b).
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (narrative consequence)
μετενόησενrelented / repentedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · μετανοέωmain verb (divine relenting — theological climax)→ constative aorist (the decisive act of divine relenting)μετανοέω: 'repent, change mind, relent'; God's μετάνοια is the book's theological centerpiece. The LXX uses this full-strength repentance word rather than a softer idiom; the classic theological interpretation reads it as an anthropopathism — God responds to changed human conditions, and his apparent 'change' is the consistent expression of his character: mercy toward the penitent. The word anticipates the exact language of ch. 4:2, where Jonah laments that he knew God would be gracious and relent.
ὁtheNominativearticle
θεὸςGodNominativesubject nominative (repeated for emphasis — the divine actor named again)θεός: repeated subject, giving double weight: 'and God relented' — the name frames the climactic act.
ἐπὶconcerning / overpreposition + dative (reference — concerning the evil planned)ἐπί + dative: 'with regard to, concerning'; idiom for μετανοέω ἐπί = 'relent concerning, repent over.'
τῇtheDativearticle
κακίᾳevil / harmDativedative object of ἐπί (the planned punishment)κακία: 'evil, harm, malice'; here the planned punishment or calamity — 'the evil he had said he would do'; the deliberate reuse of the κακ- root (cf. v.8 ὁδοῦ πονηρᾶς) creates the semantic chiasm: human evil → divine punishment → human repentance → divine relenting.
ᾗwhichDativerelative pronoun, dative (object of ἐλάλησεν — the evil spoken of)
ἐλάλησενhe had spokenAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαλέωmain verb of relative clause→ constative aoristλαλέω: 'speak'; refers back to the oracle of v.4 — the evil God had announced he would do.
τοῦtoGenitivegenitive article (articular infinitive of purpose after ἐλάλησεν)
ποιῆσαιdo / inflictAor Act Inf · ποιέωinfinitive of purpose (the evil intended to be done)→ aorist infinitiveποιέω: 'do, make, bring about'; the articular infinitive τοῦ ποιῆσαι expresses purpose — the calamity God had planned and announced.
αὐτοῖςto themDativedative indirect object (recipient of the planned punishment)
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (final clause — understated conclusion)
οὐκnotnegative particle
ἐποίησενhe did itAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ποιέωmain verb (negative conclusion — the oracle is dissolved)→ constative aorist (the decisive non-act)ποιέω: 'do, make'; with οὐκ — 'and he did not do it.' The same verb (ποιῆσαι / ἐποίησεν) connects the plan with the non-execution in a tight verbal frame: what he had spoken to do (ποιῆσαι), he did not do (ἐποίησεν). The oracle of v.4 is overturned not by a new word but by a silent act of divine mercy.