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

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

2 “ Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I give 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 Yahweh’s word. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey across.

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 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!”

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

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. 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 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 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 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;

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 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.

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

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

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 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.