1 N ow the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying,

The Word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying,

2 “ Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.”

“Get up and go to the large city of Nineveh, and tell the people there the news which I am going to tell you.”

3 S o Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days’ walk.

So Jonah got up and went to Nineveh, as the Lord had told him. Now Nineveh was a very large city. It took three days to walk through it.

4 T hen Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

Jonah started into the city, for a day’s walk, and he cried out, “In forty days Nineveh will be destroyed!”

5 T hen the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them.

Then the people of Nineveh believed in God. They called for a time when no food was to be eaten. And all the people, from the greatest to the least, put on clothes made from hair.

6 W hen the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes.

When the news came to the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne and laid aside his beautiful clothing. Then he covered himself with cloth made from hair, and sat in ashes.

7 H e issued a proclamation and it said, “In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water.

And he sent word through all of Nineveh, saying, “By the law of the king and his leaders, do not let man or animal, cattle or flock, taste anything. Do not let them eat or drink water.

8 B ut 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.

Both man and animal must be covered with cloth made from hair. Everyone must pray to God with all his heart, so each person may turn from his sinful way and from the bad things he has done.

9 W ho knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.”

Who knows? God may change His mind and stop being angry so that we will not die.”

10 W hen God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.

When God saw what they did, and that they turned from their sinful way, He changed His mind about the trouble He said He would bring upon them, and He did not destroy Nineveh.