Jonah 4:11

 Jonah 4:11

And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

a. ASV: And should not I have regard for Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle? [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: And I -- have not I pity on Nineveh, the great city, in which there are more than twelve myriads of human beings, who have not known between their right hand and their left -- and much cattle!' [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons not [yet old enough to] know their right hand from their left, and also many cattle [not accountable for sin]? [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. NLT: But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”[Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: And I---shall I not take pity upon Nineveh the great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and many animals as well?”[The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

f. Torah, Judaism and Jewish information on the web: www.chabad.org; Online English Translation of the Tanakh (Jewish Bible): Now should I not take pity on Nineveh, the great city, in which there are many more than one hundred twenty thousand people who do not know their right hand from their left, and many beasts as well? [English Translation, Ⓒ Copyright The Judaica Press All rights reserved.]

1. “And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons…”

a. [And should] not [Strong: 3808 lo' lo or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

b. I [Strong: 589 'aniy an-ee' contracted from 595; I:--I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, X which, X who.]

c. spare [Strong: 2347 chuwc khoos a primitive root; properly, to cover, i.e. (figuratively) to compassionate:--pity, regard, spare.]

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

e. [that] great [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.]

f. city [Strong: 5892 `iyr eer or (in the plural) par {awr}; or ayar (Judges 10:4) {aw-yar'}; from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.]

g. wherein [Strong: 834 'aher ash-er' a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]

h. are [Strong: 3426 yesh yaysh perhaps from an unused root meaning to stand out, or exist; entity; used adverbially or as a copula for the substantive verb (1961); there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection):--(there) are, (he, it, shall, there, there may, there shall, there should) be, thou do, had, hast, (which) hath, (I, shalt, that) have, (he, it, there) is, substance, it (there) was, (there) were, ye will, thou wilt, wouldest.]

i. more than [Strong: 7235 rabah raw-baw' a primitive root; to increase (in whatever respect):--(bring in) abundance (X -antly), + archer (by mistake for 7232), be in authority, bring up, X continue, enlarge, excel, exceeding(-ly), be full of, (be, make) great(-er, -ly, X -ness), grow up, heap, increase, be long, (be, give, have, make, use) many (a time), (any, be, give, give the, have) more (in number), (ask, be, be so, gather, over, take, yield) much (greater, more), (make to) multiply, nourish, plenty(-eous), X process (of time), sore, store, thoroughly, very.]

j. sixscore [Strong: 8147 shnayim shen-ah'-yim dual of 8145; feminine shttayim {shet-tah'-yim}; two; also (as ordinal) twofold:--both, couple, double, second, twain, + twelfth, + twelve, + twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.]

k. [Strong: 6240 `asar aw-sawr' for 6235; ten (only in combination), i.e. -teen; also (ordinal) -teenth:--(eigh-, fif-, four-, nine-, seven-, six-, thir-)teen(-th), + eleven(-th), + sixscore thousand, + twelve(-th).]

l. thousand [Strong: 7239 ribbow rib-bo' from 7231; or ribbow {rib-bo'} from 7231; a myriad, i.e. indefinitely, large number:--great things, ten ((eight)-een, (for)-ty, + sixscore, + threescore, X twenty, (twen)-ty) thousand.]

m. persons [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.]

1). Unger’s Bible Dictionary: Nineveh: Famous ancient city situated on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, opposite the modern city of Mosul. The Bible names Nimrod as the founder of Nineveh (Genesis 10:8-11). In 612 B.C. the city , the capital of the Assyrian Empire was so completely obliterated, according the it prophesied decimation by Hebrew prophets, that it became like a myth until its discovery by Sir Austin Layard and others in the nineteenth century [2500 years]. The site has been extensively excavated. Its levels reach back as far as prehistoric times. Excavated pottery indicates Sumerian origin. The actual walled city has been outlined to indicate an area three miles in length and less than a mile and a half in breadth; the wall itself was 8 miles in length. The Hebrews, however, perhaps like other foreigners, were in the habit of including other cities under the name of Nineveh (Asyrian, Nuna or Ninua). A modern comparison would be the complex of cities that constitute New York City...The four cities of Nineveh, Rehoboth, Calah, and Resen are catalogued in Genesis 10;11,12 as constituting “the great city”. The prophesied destruction of Nineveh is found in Nahum 21-3:19 and Zephaniah 2:13-15.

2). It was about 160 years between the repentance of Nineveh and its destruction by an alliance of Babylonians, Medes, and Scythians.

3). There were 120,000 people in Nineveh.

a). Jonah 4:11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and much cattle?

b). The Ohio city of Dayton has 141,000 people.

4). Jonah warned the city approximately between 784-772 B.C. The city was spared because of its repentance. The city though returned to its ungodliness and was again prophesied to be destroyed in Nahum 21-3:19 and Zephaniah 2:13-15. In 612 B.C. the city was destroyed so completely in 612 B.C., that it was 2500 years later before it was discovered by Sir Austin Layard and others in the nineteenth century (1800’s A.D.)

2. “...that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?”

a. that [Strong: 834 'aher ash-er' a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]

b. cannot [Strong: 3808 lo' lo or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

c. discern [Strong: 3045 yada` yaw-dah' a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), X will be, wist, wit, wot.]

d. between [Strong: 996 beyn bane (sometimes in the plural masculine or feminine); properly, the constructive form of an otherwise unused noun from 995; a distinction; but used only as a prep, between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...or:--among, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), + from (the widest), X in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.]

e. [their] right hand [Strong:  3225 yamiyn yaw-meen' from 3231; the right hand or side (leg, eye) of a person or other object (as the stronger and more dexterous); locally, the south:--+ left-handed, right (hand, side), south.]

f. [and their] left hand [Strong: 8040 smo'wl sem-ole' or smosl {sem-ole'}; a primitive word (rather perhaps from the same as 8071 (by insertion of the aleph) through the idea of wrapping up); properly, dark (as enveloped), i.e. the north; hence (by orientation), the left hand:--left (hand, side).]

g. [and also] much [Strong: 7227 rab rab by contracted from 7231; abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality):--(in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly), captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man, one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold, things, a time), ((ship-))master, mighty, more, (too, very) much, multiply(-tude), officer, often(-times), plenteous, populous, prince, process (of time), suffice(-lent).]

h. cattle [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.]

1). “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.