Jonah 3:7

Jonah 3:7 

And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, let neither man nor beast, herd not flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:

a. ASV: And he made proclamation and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink water;

b. YLT: And he crieth and saith in Nineveh by a decree of the king and his great ones, saying, ‘Man and beast, herd and flock — let them not taste anything, let them not feed, even water let them not drink;

c. Classic Amplified: And he made proclamation and published through Nineveh, By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed nor drink water.

d. Septuagint: And proclamation was made, and it was commanded in Nineve by the king and by his great men, saying, Let not men, or cattle, or oxen, or sheep, taste [any thing], nor feed, nor drink water.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: And had it promulgated and declared in Nineveh by the counsel of the king and his nobles, saying: “The man and the anjimal, the herd and the flock shall not taste anything; they shll neither graze, nor drink water.

1. “And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles…”

a. [And he caused it to be] proclaimed [Strong: 2199 za`aq zaw-ak' a primitive root; to shriek (from anguish or danger); by analogy, (as a herald) to announce or convene publicly:-- assemble, call (together), (make a) cry (out), come with such a company, gather (together), cause to be proclaimed.]

b. [and] published [Strong: 559 'amar aw-mar' a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech), utter, X verily, X yet.]

c. [through] Nineveh [Strong: 5210 Niynveh nee-nev-ay' of foreign origin; Nineveh, the capital of Assyria:--Nineveh.]

d. [by the] decree [Strong: 2940 ta`am tah'-am from 2938; properly, a taste, i.e. (figuratively) perception; by implication, intelligence; transitively, a mandate:-- advice, behaviour, decree, discretion, judgment, reason, taste, understanding.]

e. [of the] king [Strong: 4428 melek meh'-lek from 4427; a king:--king, royal.]

f. [and his] nobles [Strong: 1419 gadowl gaw-dole' or (shortened) gadol {gaw-dole'}; from 1431; great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent:--+ aloud, elder(-est), + exceeding(-ly), + far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, X sore, (X ) very.]

2. “...saying, let neither man nor beast, herd not flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:”

a. saying [Strong: 559 'amar aw-mar' a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech), utter, X verily, X yet.]

b. [let] neither [Strong: 408 'al al a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.]

c. man [Strong: 120 'adam aw-dawm' from 119; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.):--X another, + hypocrite, + common sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.]

d. [nor] beast [Strong: 929 bhemah be-hay-maw' from an unused root (probably meaning to be mute); properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective):--beast, cattle.

e. herd [Strong: 1241 baqar baw-kawr' from 1239; beef cattle or an animal of the ox family of either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd:-- beeve, bull (+ -ock), + calf, + cow, great (cattle), + heifer, herd, kine, ox.]

f. [not] flock [Strong: 6629 tso'n tsone or tsaown (Psalm 144:13) {tseh-one'}; from an unused root meaning to migrate; a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men):--(small) cattle, flock (+ -s), lamb (+ -s), sheep((-cote, -fold, -shearer, -herds)).]

g. taste [Strong: 2938 ta`am taw-am' a primitive root; to taste; figuratively, to perceive:--X but, perceive, taste.]

h. anything [Strong: 3972 muwmah meh-oo'-maw apparently a form of 3971; properly, a speck or point, i.e. (by implication) something; with negative, nothing:--fault, + no(-ught), ought, somewhat, any ((no-))thing.]

i. [let them] not [Strong: 408 'al al a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.]

j. feed [Strong: 7462 ra`ah raw-aw' a primitive root; to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it; intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a friend):--X break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with, herdman, keep (sheep)(-er), pastor, + shearing house, shepherd, wander, waste.]

k. nor [Strong: 408 'al al a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.]

l. drink [water] [Strong: 8354 shathah shaw-thaw' a primitive root; to imbibe (literally or figuratively):--X assuredly, banquet, X certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk (X -ard), surely. (Prop. intensive of 8248.)]

1). During his earthly ministry Jesus taught that the people of Nineveh repented. When we look at the whole counsel of God we can see Jesus was saying these people will not only be in heaven, but they will sit in judgment over the people who lived during Jesus ministry.

a). Matthew 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

2). Christians will judge the world.

a). 1 Corinthians 6:1-3 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life?

b). We will see the people of Nineveh who repented during Jonah’s ministry in heaven. Glory to God!

3). Tradition says that Jonah is buried in ancient Nineveh in modern day northern Iraq near the modern city of Mosul.

a). “The sanctuary of Jama Naballa Jonas is another place that tradition says is Jonah's grave, near the city of Mosul(today in Iraq), near the ancient remnants of Nineveh. On one of the two most prominent mounds of Nineveh ruins, rises the Mosque of the Prophet Yunus (previously a Nestorian-Assyrian Church). Jonah is believed to be buried here, where King Esarhaddon had once built a palace. It is one of the most important mosques in Mosul and one of the few historic mosques that are found on the east side of the city.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonah 

b). If this tradition is true it means that Jonah stayed and ministered to the people of Nineveh after their conversion, which would be completely appropriate and necessary.