Jonah 1 (KJV) - Bible Truth Library

Tarshish.As Jonah embarked at Joppa, a seaport on the Mediterranean, it was probably either Tarsus in Cilicia, or rather Tartessus in Spain, to which he intended to flee.

When we reflect how such a message would be received in the streets of London at this day, we shall not wonder at the prophet's reluctance to announce the destruction of the proud and idolatrous Nineveh.

Isa. 2:16• ¹⁶And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures. (Isa. 2:16)

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Isa. 23:1,6,10• ¹The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.
⁶Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.
¹⁰Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength. (Isa. 23:1,6,10)

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Isa. 60:9• ⁹Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. (Isa. 60:9)

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Ezek. 27:12• ¹²Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs. (Ezek. 27:12)

• In Jonah is seen the stiffneckedness of man. Jehovah told him to go east, and he at once hurries west; that is, he flies exactly in the teeth of the divine command. (“Jonah” by W. Kelly)

• Jonah was afraid that God would be too good! If Nineveh repented, he suspected that He would show it mercy. He feared therefore that his own character as a prophet would suffer. He did not choose them to hear the threat that God was giving to destroy the Ninevites for their wickedness, lest they might humble themselves under his preaching, and the threatened judgment might not be put into execution, and Jonah would thus lose his honor. (“Jonah” by W. Kelly)

• Another trait we find marked in Jonah—his Jewish feeling. He was intensely national. He could not bear that there should be the slightest apparent failure of his word as a prophet in the midst of the Gentiles. He would rather that every Gentile had been swallowed up in destruction than that one word of Jonah should fall to the ground. It was precisely here where he had to learn himself short of the mind and heart of God. (“Jonah” by W. Kelly)

• As with Jonah, the nation of Israel has been an unfaithful witness and has rendered a poor testimony to the world (Rom. 2:24). (“The Prophecies of Jonah” by B. Anstey)

• He had been God's willing mouthpiece to proclaim good things to his own nation; but a foreign nation—a Power withal dangerously hostile to Israel—that was a different matter! Even after the Holy Spirit came from heaven consequent upon the exaltation of the Lord Jesus, Peter had scruples about carrying the Gospel to the Roman garrison in Caesarea! (Acts 10). (“Jonah and His Experiences” by W.W. Fereday)

• He would flee from His presence! Vain effort! Psalm 139 stresses this very definitely. But why did Jonah refuse the divine commission to preach to the men of Nineveh? Chapter 4:2 tells us. The known goodness of God was his difficulty. He was sure that if the Ninevites repented of their wickedness God would show mercy. In that case Jonah felt that his dignity would be affected—to proclaim a judgment which was not executed! Rather let a whole vast city perish than that his credit should suffer! (“Jonah and His Experiences” by W.W. Fereday)

• Jonah’s reluctance to obey appears to have been fear that God would turn from His wrath and spare Nineveh {Jonah 4:2}. Was this the pride of heart that could not bear to “lose face,” as we would say in China? Or, was it the bitter prejudice of an Israelite towards a Gentile nation? Or, did Jonah’s eye look forward some fifty years and see the king of Nineveh coming against his own native land? (2 Kings 15:19.) Do you remember how Elisha wept as he told Hazael the terrible things that he would do to Israel when he became king? (2 Kings 8:12.) Jonah may, with equal clearness, have looked down the years and have seen the terrible judgment that Assyria would yet bring on Israel, a judgment that lasts to the present day. (“Jonah 1: Jonah Rebels” by G.C. Willis)

• Foolish man! for he had probably often read and sung the psalm of David in which we get the question, “Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? and whither flee from Thy presence?...” Psa. 139:7-12. (“Jonah 1: Jonah Rebels” by G.C. Willis)

• It is always going down when we seek to leave the Lord. This was his first outward step down, but it was by no means his last. The outward step is generally preceded by an inward or spiritual step down. (“Jonah 1: Jonah Rebels” by G.C. Willis)

• The ship already “going to Tarshish” was absolutely no proof that God had “prepared” it. (See chap. 1:17; 4:6; 4:7; 4:8.) (“Jonah 1: Jonah Rebels” by G.C. Willis)

• “So he paid the fare thereof.” Of course he did! A terribly high fare it must have been for that long journey. The Lord asks, “Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges?” 1 Cor. 9:7. If we are going in the service of the Lord, we may be quite sure that He will see about “the fare;” but if we are going to please ourselves, or in the service of the devil, “the fare” must be paid! (“Jonah 1: Jonah Rebels” by G.C. Willis)

• Instead of succeeding in fleeing from the presence of the Lord by going down into that ship, the ship bore him into the midst of that tempest where amidst the storm and the waves, alone on the vast deep, Jonah was to meet the Lord and find himself in the very presence of the One from whom he was seeking to escape. (“Jonah 1: Jonah Rebels” by G.C. Willis)

J. N. Darby Translation

But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah; and he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish, from the presence of Jehovah.

W. Kelly Translation

But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah.