3:1
The word of Yahweh was addressed to Jonah a second time.
3:2
'Up!' he said, 'Go to Nineveh, the great city, and preach to it as I shall tell you.'
3:3
Jonah set out and went to Nineveh in obedience to the word of Yahweh. Now Nineveh was a city great beyond compare; to cross it took three days.
3:4
Jonah began by going a day's journey into the city and then proclaimed, 'Only forty days more and Nineveh will be overthrown.'
3:5
And the people of Nineveh believed in God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least.
3:6
When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth and sat down in ashes.
3:7
He then had it proclaimed throughout Nineveh, by decree of the king and his nobles, as follows: 'No person or animal, herd or flock, may eat anything; they may not graze, they may not drink any water.
3:8
All must put on sackcloth and call on God with all their might; and let everyone renounce his evil ways and violent behaviour.
3:9
Who knows? Perhaps God will change his mind and relent and renounce his burning wrath, so that we shall not perish.'
3:10
God saw their efforts to renounce their evil ways. And God relented about the disaster which he had threatened to bring on them, and did not bring it.
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