Commentary on Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah and Nahum John Calvin
Jonah 3
Jonah 3:1-2
1. And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,
1. Et factum fuit verbum Jehovae ad Jonam secundo, dicendo, ---
2. Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.
2. Surge, proficiscere Nineven in urbem magnam, et praedica ad eam praedicationem quam ego mando tibi.
There is here set before us a remarkable proof of God's grace, --- that he was pleased to bestow on Jonah his former dignity and honor. He was indeed unworthy of the common light, but God not only restored him to life, but favored him again with the ofÏce and honor of a prophet. This, as I have said, Jonah obtained through the wonderful and singular favor of God. As he had previously fled, and by disobedience deprived himself in a manner of all God's favor, the recovery of his prophetic ofÏce was certainly not obtained through his own merit.
It must, in the first place, be observed, that this phrase, The word of Jehovah came the second time, ought to be noticed; for the word of God comes to men in different ways. God indeed addresses each of us individually; but he spoke to his Prophets in a special manner; for he designed them to be witnesses and heralds of his will.
Hence, whenever God sets a man in some peculiar ofÏce, his word is said to come to him: as the word of God is addressed to magistrates because they are commanded to exercise the power committed to them; so also the word of God ever came to the Prophets, because it was not lawful for them to thrust in themselves without being called.
The command now follows, Arise, go to Nineveh, to that great city, and preach there the preaching which I command thee. 118 God again repeats what we have 118Literally, "And proclaim to or against her the proclamation which I declare to thee." The Septuagint is, "{Και} {κηρυξον} {εν} {αυτη} {κατα} {το} {κηρυγμα} {το} {εμπροσθεν} {ὸ̔} {εγω} {ελαλησα} {προς}