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Jonah

Jonah Intro

The book relates how the word of the

Lord

came to Jonah, a prophet during the reign of Jeroboam II in the 8

century BC. It is unique among prophetic books in focusing on a story about a prophet rather than a collection of oracles. The book contains only a single sentence of prophecy.

The story concerns God’s call to Jonah to warn the people of Nineveh of its coming destruction. The book is structured into two main acts with two scenes each. The repetition of God’s command to

Go to the great city of Nineveh

marks the beginning of each act. The first scene is set on a ship as Jonah tries to avoid his mission. The second scene takes place in the belly of a huge fish which has swallowed Jonah. In the second act both scenes are associated with Nineveh itself, the first within the city as Jonah preaches and Nineveh repents, the second just outside the city as Jonah struggles with God’s mercy.

Jonah’s role in the book is to represent the attitude of many in Israel toward other nations. Instead of accepting their own calling to help these nations come to know the true God, they considered them enemies and expected God to destroy them. The book teaches that God’s love extends beyond Israel to other nations, indeed, to the whole creation. God’s final question to Jonah is intended for all the book’s readers.

Jonah

Jonah 1

Jonah Flees From the Lord

1 The word of theLordcame to Jonah son of Amittai:

2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”

3 But Jonah ran away from theLordand headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from theLord.

4 Then theLordsent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.

5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.

But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.

6 The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.”

7 Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”

9 He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship theLord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”

10 This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from theLord, because he had already told them so.)

11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?”

12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”

13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before.

14 Then they cried out to theLord, “Please,Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you,Lord, have done as you pleased.”

15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm.

16 At this the men greatly feared theLord, and they offered a sacrifice to theLordand made vows to him.

Jonah’s Prayer

17 Now theLordprovided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/3/32k/JON/1-48abb264fe67363e36676c2b886134ac.mp3?version_id=111—

Jonah

Jonah 2

1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to theLordhis God.

2 He said:

“In my distress I called to theLord,

and he answered me.

From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,

and you listened to my cry.

3 You hurled me into the depths,

into the very heart of the seas,

and the currents swirled about me;

all your waves and breakers

swept over me.

4 I said, ‘I have been banished

from your sight;

yet I will look again

toward your holy temple.’

5 The engulfing waters threatened me,

the deep surrounded me;

seaweed was wrapped around my head.

6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down;

the earth beneath barred me in forever.

But you,Lordmy God,

brought my life up from the pit.

7 “When my life was ebbing away,

I remembered you,Lord,

and my prayer rose to you,

to your holy temple.

8 “Those who cling to worthless idols

turn away from God’s love for them.

9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,

will sacrifice to you.

What I have vowed I will make good.

I will say, ‘Salvation comes from theLord.’ ”

10 And theLordcommanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/3/32k/JON/2-fa1a87ed6e2a8bb27520f93dc421c8c3.mp3?version_id=111—

Jonah

Jonah 3

Jonah Goes to Nineveh

1 Then the word of theLordcame to Jonah a second time:

2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

3 Jonah obeyed the word of theLordand went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it.

4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust.

7 This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh:

“By the decree of the king and his nobles:

Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink.

8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.

9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/3/32k/JON/3-932d77f0e3f3f6f2615dc29c8495c281.mp3?version_id=111—

Jonah

Jonah 4

Jonah’s Anger at the Lord’s Compassion

1 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry.

2 He prayed to theLord, “Isn’t this what I said,Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.

3 Now,Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

4 But theLordreplied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

5 Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city.

6 Then theLordGod provided a leafy plantand made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant.

7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered.

8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”

9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”

“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”

10 But theLordsaid, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight.

11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/3/32k/JON/4-e6452ebf6856fc79893402945669259e.mp3?version_id=111—

Micah

Micah Intro

The prophet Micah speaks to the southern kingdom of Judah during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah (late 8

century BC). He foresees that Samaria and Jerusalem, the capital cities of Israel and Judah, will be destroyed because of their injustice and corrupt religion. The people have abandoned the covenant God made with them, taking up the pagan religious practices of the Canaanites. The rich and powerful are ruthlessly exploiting the poor, ignoring the law of Moses. Micah warns that in punishment for their unfaithfulness and injustice, both kingdoms will be invaded, conquered and exiled. As he predicts, Samaria falls to the Assyrians in 722 BC and Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians in 587/6 BC.

Micah’s prophecies alternate between warnings of destruction and promises of restoration. Each of Micah’s three groups of oracles begins with a series of judgments, and then concludes with promises of restoration. Micah proclaims that in compassion and covenant faithfulness God will save a remnant of the people and bring them back to their own land. There they will be ruled by a righteous king and become a light to the whole world, pointing all nations to the ways of the

Lord

. God will help Israel find its place in the biblical drama.

Micah

Micah 1

1 The word of theLordthat came to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah—the vision he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

2 Hear, you peoples, all of you,

listen, earth and all who live in it,

that the SovereignLordmay bear witness against you,

the Lord from his holy temple.

Judgment Against Samaria and Jerusalem

3 Look! TheLordis coming from his dwelling place;

he comes down and treads on the heights of the earth.

4 The mountains melt beneath him

and the valleys split apart,

like wax before the fire,

like water rushing down a slope.

5 All this is because of Jacob’s transgression,

because of the sins of the people of Israel.

What is Jacob’s transgression?

Is it not Samaria?

What is Judah’s high place?

Is it not Jerusalem?

6 “Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble,

a place for planting vineyards.

I will pour her stones into the valley

and lay bare her foundations.

7 All her idols will be broken to pieces;

all her temple gifts will be burned with fire;

I will destroy all her images.

Since she gathered her gifts from the wages of prostitutes,

as the wages of prostitutes they will again be used.”

Weeping and Mourning

8 Because of this I will weep and wail;

I will go about barefoot and naked.

I will howl like a jackal

and moan like an owl.

9 For Samaria’s plague is incurable;

it has spread to Judah.

It has reached the very gate of my people,

even to Jerusalem itself.

10 Tell it not in Gath;

weep not at all.

In Beth Ophrah

roll in the dust.

11 Pass by naked and in shame,

you who live in Shaphir.

Those who live in Zaanan

will not come out.

Beth Ezel is in mourning;

it no longer protects you.

12 Those who live in Marothwrithe in pain,

waiting for relief,

because disaster has come from theLord,

even to the gate of Jerusalem.

13 You who live in Lachish,

harness fast horses to the chariot.

You are where the sin of Daughter Zion began,

for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.

14 Therefore you will give parting gifts

to Moresheth Gath.

The town of Akzibwill prove deceptive

to the kings of Israel.

15 I will bring a conqueror against you

who live in Mareshah.

The nobles of Israel

will flee to Adullam.

16 Shave your head in mourning

for the children in whom you delight;

make yourself as bald as the vulture,

for they will go from you into exile.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/3/32k/MIC/1-1be2302801a417f9caf76563786b31f8.mp3?version_id=111—

Micah

Micah 2

Human Plans and God’s Plans

1 Woe to those who plan iniquity,

to those who plot evil on their beds!

At morning’s light they carry it out

because it is in their power to do it.

2 They covet fields and seize them,

and houses, and take them.

They defraud people of their homes,

they rob them of their inheritance.

3 Therefore, theLordsays:

“I am planning disaster against this people,

from which you cannot save yourselves.

You will no longer walk proudly,

for it will be a time of calamity.

4 In that day people will ridicule you;

they will taunt you with this mournful song:

‘We are utterly ruined;

my people’s possession is divided up.

He takes it from me!

He assigns our fields to traitors.’ ”

5 Therefore you will have no one in the assembly of theLord

to divide the land by lot.

False Prophets

6 “Do not prophesy,” their prophets say.

“Do not prophesy about these things;

disgrace will not overtake us.”

7 You descendants of Jacob, should it be said,

“Does theLordbecomeimpatient?

Does he do such things?”

“Do not my words do good

to the one whose ways are upright?

8 Lately my people have risen up

like an enemy.

You strip off the rich robe

from those who pass by without a care,

like men returning from battle.

9 You drive the women of my people

from their pleasant homes.

You take away my blessing

from their children forever.

10 Get up, go away!

For this is not your resting place,

because it is defiled,

it is ruined, beyond all remedy.

11 If a liar and deceiver comes and says,

‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’

that would be just the prophet for this people!

Deliverance Promised

12 “I will surely gather all of you, Jacob;

I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel.

I will bring them together like sheep in a pen,

like a flock in its pasture;

the place will throng with people.

13 The One who breaks open the way will go up before them;

they will break through the gate and go out.

Their King will pass through before them,

theLordat their head.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/3/32k/MIC/2-ca44f9f0f1bc3d8a85c0c770fc7d4fbe.mp3?version_id=111—

Micah

Micah 3

Leaders and Prophets Rebuked

1 Then I said,

“Listen, you leaders of Jacob,

you rulers of Israel.

Should you not embrace justice,

2 you who hate good and love evil;

who tear the skin from my people

and the flesh from their bones;

3 who eat my people’s flesh,

strip off their skin

and break their bones in pieces;

who chop them up like meat for the pan,

like flesh for the pot?”

4 Then they will cry out to theLord,

but he will not answer them.

At that time he will hide his face from them

because of the evil they have done.

5 This is what theLordsays:

“As for the prophets

who lead my people astray,

they proclaim ‘peace’

if they have something to eat,

but prepare to wage war against anyone

who refuses to feed them.

6 Therefore night will come over you, without visions,

and darkness, without divination.

The sun will set for the prophets,

and the day will go dark for them.

7 The seers will be ashamed

and the diviners disgraced.

They will all cover their faces

because there is no answer from God.”

8 But as for me, I am filled with power,

with the Spirit of theLord,

and with justice and might,

to declare to Jacob his transgression,

to Israel his sin.

9 Hear this, you leaders of Jacob,

you rulers of Israel,

who despise justice

and distort all that is right;

10 who build Zion with bloodshed,

and Jerusalem with wickedness.

11 Her leaders judge for a bribe,

her priests teach for a price,

and her prophets tell fortunes for money.

Yet they look for theLord’s support and say,

“Is not theLordamong us?

No disaster will come upon us.”

12 Therefore because of you,

Zion will be plowed like a field,

Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,

the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/3/32k/MIC/3-78f4f3b580f1818ca45f1ee72387bcdb.mp3?version_id=111—

Micah

Micah 4

The Mountain of the Lord

1 In the last days

the mountain of theLord’s temple will be established

as the highest of the mountains;

it will be exalted above the hills,

and peoples will stream to it.

2 Many nations will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of theLord,

to the temple of the God of Jacob.

He will teach us his ways,

so that we may walk in his paths.”

The law will go out from Zion,

the word of theLordfrom Jerusalem.

3 He will judge between many peoples

and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.

They will beat their swords into plowshares

and their spears into pruning hooks.

Nation will not take up sword against nation,

nor will they train for war anymore.

4 Everyone will sit under their own vine

and under their own fig tree,

and no one will make them afraid,

for theLordAlmighty has spoken.

5 All the nations may walk

in the name of their gods,

but we will walk in the name of theLord

our God for ever and ever.

The Lord’s Plan

6 “In that day,” declares theLord,

“I will gather the lame;

I will assemble the exiles

and those I have brought to grief.

7 I will make the lame my remnant,

those driven away a strong nation.

TheLordwill rule over them in Mount Zion

from that day and forever.

8 As for you, watchtower of the flock,

strongholdof Daughter Zion,

the former dominion will be restored to you;

kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem.”

9 Why do you now cry aloud—

have you no king?

Has your rulerperished,

that pain seizes you like that of a woman in labor?

10 Writhe in agony, Daughter Zion,

like a woman in labor,

for now you must leave the city

to camp in the open field.

You will go to Babylon;

there you will be rescued.

There theLordwill redeem you

out of the hand of your enemies.

11 But now many nations

are gathered against you.

They say, “Let her be defiled,

let our eyes gloat over Zion!”

12 But they do not know

the thoughts of theLord;

they do not understand his plan,

that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.

13 “Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion,

for I will give you horns of iron;

I will give you hooves of bronze,

and you will break to pieces many nations.”

You will devote their ill-gotten gains to theLord,

their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/3/32k/MIC/4-f5a6210ae709765241cddcacf94e9f9b.mp3?version_id=111—