New International VersionBut let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.
New Living TranslationPeople and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence.
English Standard Versionbut let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.
Berean Standard BibleFurthermore, let both man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and have everyone call out earnestly to God. Let each one turn from his evil ways and from the violence in his hands.
King James BibleBut let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
New King James VersionBut let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.
New American Standard BibleBut every person and animal must be covered with sackcloth; and people are to call on God vehemently, and they are to turn, each one from his evil way, and from the violence which is in their hands.
NASB 1995“But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands.
NASB 1977“But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands.
Legacy Standard BibleBut both man and animal must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God with their strength that each may turn from his evil way and from the violence which is in his hands.
Amplified BibleBut both man and animal must be covered with sackcloth; and every one is to call on God earnestly and forcefully that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence that is in his hands.
Christian Standard BibleFurthermore, both people and animals must be covered with sackcloth, and everyone must call out earnestly to God. Each must turn from his evil ways and from his wrongdoing.
Holman Christian Standard BibleFurthermore, both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth, and everyone must call out earnestly to God. Each must turn from his evil ways and from the violence he is doing.
American Standard Versionbut let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and beast, and let them cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in his hands.
English Revised Versionbut let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and beast, and let them cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationEvery person and animal must put on sackcloth. Cry loudly to God for help. Turn from your wicked ways and your acts of violence.
Good News TranslationAll persons and animals must wear sackcloth. Everyone must pray earnestly to God and must give up their wicked behavior and their evil actions.
International Standard VersionInstead, let both man and animal clothe themselves with sackcloth and cry out to God forcefully. Let every person turn from his evil ways and from his tendency to do violence.
NET BibleEvery person and animal must put on sackcloth and must cry earnestly to God, and everyone must turn from their evil way of living and from the violence that they do.
New Heart English Biblebut let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and animal, and let them cry mightily to God. Yes, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in his hands.
Webster's Bible TranslationBut let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God: yes, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleFurthermore, let both man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and have everyone call out earnestly to God. Let each one turn from his evil ways and from the violence in his hands.
World English Biblebut let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and animal, and let them cry mightily to God. Yes, let them turn everyone from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand let man and beast cover themselves [with] sackcloth, and let them call to God mightily, and let them each turn back from his evil way, and from the violence that [is] in their hands.
Young's Literal Translation and cover themselves with sackcloth let man and beast, and let them call unto God mightily, and let them turn back each from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry with strength to Jehovah: and they shall turn back each from his evil way, and the violence which is in their hands. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd let men and beasts be covered with sackcloth, and cry to the Lord with all their strength, and let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the iniquity that is in their hands.
Catholic Public Domain VersionAnd let men and beasts be covered with sackcloth, and let them cry out to the Lord with strength, and may man be converted from his evil way, and from the iniquity that is in their hands.
New American BibleMan and beast alike must be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; they all must turn from their evil way and from the violence of their hands.
New Revised Standard VersionHuman beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleBut let men and beasts be covered with sackcloth and cry to God with groaning; yea, let every man turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedBut they shall be covered in sackcloth, children of man and beast, and they shall call God in groaning and a man shall turn from his way of evil and from the plunder that is in his hands OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917but let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and beast, and let them cry mightily unto God; yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
Brenton Septuagint TranslationSo men and cattle were clothed with sackcloths, and cried earnestly to God; and they turned every one from their evil way, and from the iniquity that was in their hands, saying,
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Nineveh Repents… 7Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let no man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything at all. They must not eat or drink. 8Furthermore, let both manand beastbe coveredwith sackcloth,and have everyone call outearnestlytoGod.Let each oneturnfromhis evilwaysand from the violencein his hands.9Who knows? God may turn and relent; He may turn from His fierce anger, so that we will not perish.”…
Cross References Joel 2:12-14“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.” / So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster. / Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him—grain and drink offerings for the LORD your God.
Matthew 12:41The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here.
Luke 11:32The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here.
Jeremiah 18:7-8At any time I might announce that a nation or kingdom will be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed. / But if that nation I warned turns from its evil, then I will relent of the disaster I had planned to bring.
Ezekiel 18:21-23But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. / None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live. / Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?
Isaiah 55:6-7Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. / Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.
Daniel 9:3-5So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. / And I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed, “O, Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of loving devotion to those who love Him and keep His commandments, / we have sinned and done wrong. We have acted wickedly and rebelled. We have turned away from Your commandments and ordinances.
Zechariah 1:3-4So tell the people that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Return to Me, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Hosts.’ / Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Turn now from your evil ways and deeds.’ But they did not listen or pay attention to Me, declares the LORD.
Acts 17:30Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.
Romans 2:4Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?
2 Chronicles 7:14and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
James 4:8-10Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. / Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. / Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.
1 Kings 21:27-29When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly. / Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: / “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity during his days, but I will bring it upon his house in the days of his son.”
Nehemiah 9:1-3On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth, with dust on their heads. / Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all the foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. / While they stood in their places, they read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and they spent another quarter of the day in confession and worship of the LORD their God.
Hosea 14:1-2Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled by your iniquity. / Bring your confessions and return to the LORD. Say to Him: “Take away all our iniquity and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips.
Treasury of Scripture But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God: yes, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. cry. Jonah 1:6,14
So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not… Psalm 130:1,2
A Song of degrees. Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD… let. Isaiah 1:16-19
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; … Isaiah 55:6,7
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: … Isaiah 58:6
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? the violence. Isaiah 59:6
Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their worksare works of iniquity, and the act of violenceis in their hands. Jump to Previous ActsAnimalBeastCoverCoveredCryEarnestlyEvilHairclothHandsMightilySackclothStrongTurnTurnedUrgentlyViolenceViolentWayWickedJump to Next ActsAnimalBeastCoverCoveredCryEarnestlyEvilHairclothHandsMightilySackclothStrongTurnTurnedUrgentlyViolenceViolentWayWickedJonah 3 1.Jonah, sent again, preaches to the Ninevites.5.Upon their repentance,10.God relents.Furthermore, let both man and beast be covered with sackclothIn ancient Near Eastern cultures, wearing sackcloth was a sign of mourning, repentance, or humility. The inclusion of animals in this act of repentance underscores the seriousness of Nineveh's situation and the totality of their response. It reflects the communal nature of repentance, where even the livestock, essential to the economy and daily life, are involved. This act symbolizes a complete societal acknowledgment of wrongdoing and a plea for divine mercy. and have everyone call out earnestly to God
The call to earnest prayer indicates a sincere and urgent appeal to God, recognizing His sovereignty and mercy. This reflects a shift from the pagan practices of Nineveh to acknowledging the God of Israel. The earnestness of their prayer suggests a deep conviction and desperation, aligning with other biblical instances where fervent prayer leads to divine intervention, such as in the case of King Hezekiah (2 Kings 19:15-20). Let each one turn from his evil ways
Repentance in the biblical sense involves a turning away from sin and a change in behavior. This phrase emphasizes personal responsibility and the need for individual transformation. The call to abandon evil ways is consistent with prophetic messages throughout the Old Testament, where prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah urged Israel to return to God by forsaking their sinful practices. and from the violence in his hands
Nineveh was known for its brutality and violence, as evidenced by historical records and archaeological findings. The specific mention of violence highlights a key aspect of their sinfulness. This call to renounce violence is a direct challenge to the core of Nineveh's identity as a powerful and feared city. It echoes the biblical principle that true repentance involves not just a change of heart but also a change in actions, as seen in the teachings of Jesus, who emphasized love and peace over violence (Matthew 5:9). Persons / Places / Events 1. JonahA prophet of God who initially fled from God's command to go to Nineveh but later obeyed after being swallowed by a great fish. 2. NinevehA significant city in the Assyrian Empire, known for its wickedness, which God commanded Jonah to warn of impending judgment. 3. The King of NinevehThe ruler who, upon hearing Jonah's message, led the city in repentance by decreeing a fast and calling for everyone to turn from their evil ways. Teaching Points The Power of RepentanceTrue repentance involves a change of heart and action. The king of Nineveh's decree for everyone to turn from their evil ways demonstrates the depth of their repentance. Leadership in RepentanceThe king's leadership in calling for repentance shows the importance of leaders setting an example in seeking God's mercy. God's Mercy and CompassionGod's willingness to relent from disaster upon seeing Nineveh's repentance highlights His compassionate nature. Corporate ResponsibilityThe collective response of Nineveh to Jonah's message illustrates the impact of communal repentance and accountability. Urgency of ObedienceJonah's eventual obedience to God's command and Nineveh's immediate response to his message remind us of the urgency in responding to God's call. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Jonah 3
What distinguishes mercy from grace?
Can an unbeliever genuinely engage in prayer?
In Job 12:23–25, does the depiction of God as actively causing nations to stumble clash with the Bible’s emphasis on human free will and moral accountability?
If God is eternal and unchanging, why does He change His mind (Jonah 3:10, Exodus 32:14)?Verse 8. - Let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. As we put trappings on horses in funerals. The LXX. wrongly makes this verse give an account of the execution of the edict instead of being part of the edict itself; thus: "And men and beasts were clothed with sackcloth," etc. Cry mightily;i.e. let man cry mightily; Septuagint, ἐκτενῶς, "with intensity;" Vulgate, in fortitudine.Let them turn every one from his evil way ( Jeremiah 25:5; Jeremiah 36:3, 7). The edict recognizes the truth that outward acts of penitence are worthless without moral reformation - a truth which the Jews themselves had been very loth to admit (see Isaiah 58.). And from the violence that is in their hands. The acts of violence that their hands have committed ( Job 16:17; Psalm 7:3). This is the special sin of the Assyrians, always grasping after empire, oppressing other nations, and guilty of rapine and avarice at home (see Isaiah 10:13, 14; Isaiah 37:24, etc.; Nahum 2:11, 12; Nahum 3:1).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew Furthermore, let both manהָֽאָדָם֙(hā·’ā·ḏām)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120:Ruddy, a human beingand beastוְהַבְּהֵמָ֔ה(wə·hab·bə·hê·māh)Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 929:A dumb beast, any large quadruped, animalbe coveredוְיִתְכַּסּ֣וּ(wə·yiṯ·kas·sū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3680:To plump, fill up hollows, to coverwith sackcloth,שַׂקִּ֗ים(śaq·qîm)Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8242:A mesh, coarse loose cloth, sacking, a bagand have everyone call outוְיִקְרְא֥וּ(wə·yiq·rə·’ū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7121:To call, proclaim, readearnestlyבְּחָזְקָ֑ה(bə·ḥā·zə·qāh)Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2394:Strength, force, violencetoאֶל־(’el-)Preposition
Strong's 413:Near, with, among, toGod.אֱלֹהִ֖ים(’ĕ·lō·hîm)Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430:gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlativeLet each oneאִ֚ישׁ(’îš)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376:A man as an individual, a male personturnוְיָשֻׁ֗בוּ(wə·yā·šu·ḇū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7725:To turn back, in, to retreat, againfromוּמִן־(ū·min-)Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 4480:A part of, from, out ofhis evilהָֽרָעָ֔ה(hā·rā·‘āh)Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451:Bad, evilwaysמִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ(mid·dar·kōw)Preposition-m | Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1870:A road, a course of life, mode of actionand from the violenceהֶחָמָ֖ס(he·ḥā·mās)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2555:Violence, wrong, by meton, unjust gainin his hands.בְּכַפֵּיהֶֽם׃(bə·ḵap·pê·hem)Preposition-b | Noun - fdc | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3709:Hollow or flat of the hand, palm, sole (of the foot), a pan
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OT Prophets: Jonah 3:8 But let them be covered with sackcloth (Jon. Jh) |
