Who was Jonah in the bible?

Jonah (an Israelite; his name is associated in Hebrew with “a dove”) appears in Scripture as “Jonah the son of Amittai,” a prophet through whom Yahweh spoke, and as the figure at the center of the book that bears his name.

Jonah in Scripture

Jonah is first identified as a prophet connected to a specific prophetic word and its fulfillment: Israel’s border was restored “according to Yahweh, the God of Israel’s word, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath Hepher” (2 Kings 14:25).

The narrative in Jonah opens with a direct commission. Jonah is explicitly named and addressed when “Yahweh’s word came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,” (Jonah 1:1), followed by the command:

“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it, for their wickedness has come up before me.” (Jonah 1:2)

Instead of going to Nineveh, Jonah attempts to escape the divine presence, taking concrete steps to do so. The text describes his movement and intent in detail:

“But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid its fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh.” (Jonah 1:3)

A severe storm follows, explicitly attributed to Yahweh’s action: “Yahweh sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty storm on the sea, so that the ship was likely to break up.” (Jonah 1:4). While the mariners react in fear and try to survive, Jonah is depicted as withdrawn and asleep: “But Jonah had gone down into the innermost parts of the ship, and he was laying down, and was fast asleep.” (Jonah 1:5). The ship master confronts him with urgent words: “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God! Maybe your God will notice us, so that we won’t perish.” (Jonah 1:6).

The sailors seek to identify the cause of the calamity by casting lots, and the narrative points to Jonah: “So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.” (Jonah 1:7). Pressed for his identity, Jonah answers with a confession of both ethnicity and worship:

“I am a Hebrew, and I fear Yahweh, the God of heaven, who has made the sea and the dry land.” (Jonah 1:9)

The men’s fear increases when they realize he is fleeing “from the presence of Yahweh” (Jonah 1:10). When asked what should be done to calm the sea, Jonah proposes his own removal from the ship, linking the storm to himself: “Take me up, and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will be calm for you; for I know that because of me this great storm is on you.” (Jonah 1:12). The men resist at first, rowing hard, and then they cry to Yahweh and act: “So they took up Jonah, and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased its raging.” (Jonah 1:15). The immediate result on the mariners is religious awe and action: “Then the men feared Yahweh exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice to Yahweh, and made vows.” (Jonah 1:16).

Jonah’s story continues with divine provision in the sea: “Yahweh prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” (Jonah 1:17). From within the fish Jonah turns to prayer: “Then Jonah prayed to Yahweh, his God, out of the fish’s belly.” (Jonah 2:1). Jonah’s deliverance is again depicted as the result of Yahweh’s command: “Then Yahweh spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah on the dry land.” (Jonah 2:10).

Jonah then fulfills the earlier commission, traveling as instructed: “So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, according to Yahweh’s word.” (Jonah 3:3). His message is presented as a brief, pointed proclamation spoken in the city:

“In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!” (Jonah 3:4)

After delivering the warning, Jonah positions himself to observe what will happen: “Then Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made himself a booth, and sat under it in the shade, until he might see what would become of the city.” (Jonah 4:5). A final sequence focuses on Jonah’s physical condition and reactions. “Yahweh God prepared a vine” for shade “to deliver him from his discomfort,” and Jonah’s response is emotional and immediate: “So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the vine.” (Jonah 4:6). When conditions change, Jonah’s distress returns sharply: “God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he fainted,” and he speaks of death: “It is better for me to die than to live.” (Jonah 4:8).

Name and Meaning

The name is written יוֹנָה, transliterated Yownah, pronounced “yo-naw’.” Its lexicon derivation connects it to the same form as H3123, with a component word yownah (יוֹנָה) meaning “a dove.”

Observation

Across the passages, Jonah is repeatedly portrayed in relation to Yahweh’s active speech and preparation—Yahweh’s word comes to him (Jonah 1:1), and Yahweh “prepared a great fish” (Jonah 1:17) and “prepared a vine” (Jonah 4:6)—even as Jonah himself is described first fleeing “from the presence of Yahweh” (Jonah 1:3) and later speaking a stark personal verdict under hardship: “It is better for me to die than to live.” (Jonah 4:8).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Jonah mean?

Jonah is given as the name “Jonah,” an Israelite.

How many times does Jonah appear in the Bible?

Jonah occurs 13 times.

Who was Jonah?

Jonah is identified as an Israelite. In Jonah 1:3, he rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh.

What happened to Jonah when he was thrown into the sea?

They took up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased its raging (Jonah 1:15).

Explore Further

If you found this page about Jonah interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.

Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).