Lexical Summary
yonah: Dove
Original Word:יוֹנָה
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:yownah
Pronunciation:yo-NAH
Phonetic Spelling:(yo-naw')
KJV: dove, pigeon
NASB:dove, pigeons, doves, dove's, pigeon
Word Origin:[probably from the same asH3196 (יַיִן - wine)]
1. a dove (apparently from the warmth of their mating)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
dove, pigeon
Probably from the same asyayin; a dove (apparently from the warmth of their mating) -- dove, pigeon.
see HEBREWyayin
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom an unused word
Definitiondove
NASB Translationdove (13), dove's (1), doves (8), pigeon (1), pigeons (9).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
I. (Late Hebrew
id.; Aramaic
id.,
) — absolute
Genesis 8:8 20t.; construct
Psalm 56:1; suffix
Songs 2:14 2t.; plural
Nahum 2:8 6t.; construct
Ezekiel 7:16 (see below); —
doveGenesis 8:8,9,10,11,12 (all J); often of offerings,
Leviticus 12:6 (P; an individual of the species; "" ); ""
Leviticus 1:14;
Leviticus 5:7,11;
Leviticus 12:8;
Leviticus 14:22,30;
Leviticus 15:14,29;
Numbers 6:10 (all P);
dove's dung2 Kings 6:25 (Kt, yet see Gei
Urschrift 409); in various similes: Ephraim is
like a silly doveHosea 7:11 (allowing itself to be snared); simile of return of exiles, like eager flight of doves
Hosea 11:11, of ships with white outspread sails
Isaiah 60:8;
Psalm 55:7; see also
Psalm 68:14; simile of fugitive Moab
Jeremiah 48:28; also
Ezekiel 7:16like the doves of the valleys (but on text see Co, who emends , but regards phrase as gloss): simile of mourning
Nahum 2:8; without ,
Isaiah 38:14;
Isaiah 59:11 (from mournful note); figurative of beauty (only Canticles):
thine eyes are (those of)
dovesSongs 1:15;
Songs 4:1, see also
Songs 4:12; term of endearment,
my doveSongs 2:14;
Songs 5:2;
Songs 6:9. Elsewhere only
Psalm 56:1 (title) probably name of melody:
To 'the dove of distant terebinths' (read for ; see above, and Bae
Psalms, p. xvii). — On sanctity of dove among Shemites, see RS
Semitic i. 202, 275.
Topical Lexicon
Entry: Jonah – יוֹנָה (Strong’s H3123)Name and Symbolism
The name means “dove,” evoking ideas of gentleness, peace, and sacrificial purity (Genesis 15:9;Leviticus 5:7). Ironically, the prophet’s initial conduct contrasts with these ideals, highlighting God’s power to transform reluctant servants into effective messengers. The dove also links Jonah with themes of new beginnings, as in Noah’s flood narrative where the bird signaled God’s mercy and restoration (Genesis 8:11-12).
Occurrences
The form יוֹנָה appears about thirty-two times in the Hebrew Bible. Outside2 Kings 14:25, every occurrence is in the four-chapter prophetic book that bears his name, where it alternates between narrative description and divine address.
Historical Setting
2 Kings 14:25 dates Jonah to the reign of Jeroboam II (793-753 BC). Israel was expanding militarily but declining spiritually. Assyria, though in a temporary political lull, remained a brutal threat. The prophet came from Gath-hepher in Zebulun, a Galilean village later noted inJohn 7:52 when the Pharisees insisted that no prophet arises from Galilee—a statement Scripture itself refutes by Jonah’s example.
The Commission and the Flight
Jonah 1:1-2 records his call: “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it”. Rather than obey, Jonah fled “away from the presence of the LORD” (1:3). The voyage to Tarshish pictures calculated rebellion: he descends to Joppa, then into the ship’s hold, then into deep sleep, and finally beneath the waves—each downward step mirroring his spiritual decline. God pursues him with a raging sea, exposing that no distance can evade divine sovereignty (Psalm 139:7-10).
Judgment, Repentance, and Deliverance
When the sailors hurl Jonah overboard, the LORD “appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah” (1:17). The prophet’s psalm from the depths (chapter 2) mingles distress with confident hope, culminating in, “Salvation comes from the LORD!” (2:9). God answers by commanding the fish to release him, revealing that divine discipline aims at restoration, not destruction (Hebrews 12:6-11).
Revival in Nineveh
The second commission (Jonah 3:1-2) underscores grace—God is willing to reuse a chastened servant. Jonah’s terse message, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh will be overturned!” (3:4), sparks sweeping repentance, from king to cattle. The episode demonstrates that God’s word is effective (Isaiah 55:10-11) and that His compassion extends beyond Israel (Isaiah 49:6).
The Object Lesson of the Plant
Jonah 4 reveals the prophet’s struggle with divine mercy. He confesses that he fled because he knew God is “gracious and compassionate… One who relents from sending disaster” (4:2). The withering plant exposes his misplaced priorities: he pities a vine but not 120,000 image-bearers. Thus Jonah becomes both messenger and mirror, forcing readers to examine their own hearts regarding God’s concern for the nations.
Typology and the “Sign of Jonah”
Jesus elevates Jonah’s experience as a prophetic sign: “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40). The liberated prophet foreshadows the resurrection, while Nineveh’s repentance anticipates the ingathering of Gentiles (Romans 15:9-12). That Christ roots the sign of His death and resurrection in this historical episode affirms both the book’s historicity and its gospel significance.
Key Theological Themes
• God’s universal sovereignty—He commands seas, winds, animals, and nations.
• Mercy balanced with justice—judgment threatened, mercy offered upon repentance.
• The missionary heartbeat of God—“Should I not care about that great city?” (4:11).
• The danger of ethnocentrism—Jonah’s nationalism collides with God’s global purpose.
• Resurrection hope—deliverance “from the pit” (2:6) anticipates salvation through Christ.
Jewish and Christian Reception
In post-exilic Judaism Jonah is read on Yom Kippur as a call to repentance. Early Christians saw in Jonah a symbol of baptism and resurrection (1 Peter 3:20-21). Church Fathers such as Jerome and Augustine drew moral lessons about obedience and divine patience, while Reformers highlighted its missionary implications.
Lessons for Contemporary Ministry
1. Obedience matters more than personal preference; flight from God’s call invites discipline.
2. God can use flawed servants once broken pride gives way to submission.
3. Proclamation of judgment is an act of love when it offers a path to mercy.
4. National or cultural prejudices must yield to the gospel’s reach.
5. Revival is possible even among the most unlikely peoples when God’s Spirit works through His word.
Conclusion
Jonah stands as a living parable. His account validates the prophetic word, foreshadows the triumph of Christ, and challenges every generation of believers to join God’s mission with hearts that reflect His compassion for a perishing world.
Forms and Transliterations
הַיּוֹנָ֑ה הַיּוֹנָ֔ה הַיּוֹנָ֖ה הַיּוֹנָ֨ה הַיּוֹנָה֙ היונה וְכַיּוֹנִ֖ים וּכְיוֹנָ֖ה וכיונה וכיונים י֬וֹנַת י֭וֹנָה יוֹנִ֔ים יוֹנִֽים׃ יוֹנָ֑ה יוֹנָ֔ה יוֹנָ֖ה יוֹנָ֥ה יוֹנָה֒ יוֹנָתִ֞י יוֹנָתִ֣י יונה יונים יונים׃ יונת יונתי כְּיוֹנִ֖ים כְּיוֹנֵ֧י כְּיוֹנָ֥ה כְיוֹנָ֔ה כַּיּוֹנָ֑ה כַּיּוֹנָ֗ה כיונה כיוני כיונים cheyoNah haiyoNah hay·yō·w·nāh hayyōwnāh kaiyoNah kay·yō·w·nāh kayyōwnāh kə·yō·w·nāh ḵə·yō·w·nāh kə·yō·w·nê kə·yō·w·nîm keyoNah keyoNei keyoNim kəyōwnāh ḵəyōwnāh kəyōwnê kəyōwnîm ū·ḵə·yō·w·nāh ucheyoNah ūḵəyōwnāh vechaiyoNim wə·ḵay·yō·w·nîm wəḵayyōwnîm yō·w·nā·ṯî yō·w·nāh yō·w·naṯ yō·w·nîm yoNah Yonat yonaTi yoNim yōwnāh yōwnaṯ yōwnāṯî yōwnîm
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
