1 Y ahweh’s word came to Jonah the second time, saying,

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying,

2 “ Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I give you.”

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

3 S o Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, according to Yahweh’s word. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey across.

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

4 J onah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried out, and said, “In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!”

Then 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.”

5 T he people of Nineveh believed God; and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from their greatest even to their least.

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

6 T he news reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

When 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.

7 H e made a proclamation and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, “Let neither man nor animal, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink water;

He 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.

8 b ut let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and animal, and let them cry mightily to God. Yes, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in his hands.

But 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.

9 W ho knows whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?”

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

10 G od saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. God relented of the disaster which he said he would do to them, and he didn’t do it.

When 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.