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Jonah: The Reluctant Prophet
In The Reluctant Prophet, Dr. Erica Brown takes us on a journey over land and sea, in the footsteps of the Bible’s most recalcitrant prophet. Melding traditional commentators, rabbinic literature, modern biblical scholarship, psychological sensitivity, and artistic imagination, Brown travels through the four chapters of Jonah’s story − tracing his call to leadership, his subsequent intransigence, his momentary rise to duty and his tragic resignation − in an effort to discover God’s ultimate lesson for him. With insight and feeling, Brown provides us with a glimpse into the tormented soul of the prophet as he grapples with the notion of a forgiving God who is concerned even with the welfare of Israel’s strongest adversary. As God struggles to teach His prophet to expand his vision and take up his divine mission, we come to understand the Divine call given to each of us to rise up to the possibility of greatness. After all, if God can change His plan, we can change as well.
372 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 6, 2017
18 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
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Erica Brown
67 books23 followersLibrarian Note: There are more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
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September 26, 2021This was stellar, a Bible commentary that really gave me new perspectives on a text that I think has been discussed endlessly, and is also quite brief. How can someone have 240 pages’ worth of material to say about the Book of Jonah, which can be read out loud in like ten minutes?! I thought this would inevitably have a lot of filler, even though I’ve read and appreciated other books by Erica Brown.
Amazingly, it doesn’t have any filler. Every chapter is intriguing. There are analyses of basically every aspect of the book, its tone and possible readings of it (also as a parody and/or as direct subversion of prophetic themes), detailed parallels drawn with other books of the Bible, even discussion of how other religions and artists have approached Jonah. (Didn’t expect any discussion of Christian views from an Orthodox Jewish publisher, but it was great!) It also enabled me to come up with my own perspective and notice things in the text.
I especially liked her discussion of how Jonah also appears in II Kings, how it is probably the same Jonah, how historically these mentions have been considered to be the same person – and what we can learn from that. She points out that with this in mind, Jonah had absolutely no problems prophesying about an expansion of Israel’s borders earlier. He accomplished that without any hitches. But when G-d tells him to go to Nineveh and prophesy to the Assyrians, he extremely doesn’t want to do that, even though that’s what G-d explicitly requests. G-d doesn’t want him to be a prophet only to Israel and only defend Israel – Jonah seems to be OK with that. Jonah is sent to Israel’s actual military opponents too. It’s not an abdication of all prophecy, Jonah’s issue is with this specific task. I can’t do justice to the lengthy discussion, but it explains other aspects of the book too.
(Brown doesn’t quite say it, but from a somewhat anachronistic present-day perspective, it seems to me like G-d wants to tell Jonah that Jonah is actually more of a Zionist than G-d and that’s taking it too far! A familiar phenomenon. ...Of course, Zionism wasn’t even invented back then, but ethnocentrism clearly was, and G-d apparently wasn’t such a fan of it...)
The book also made me look into multiple topics further connected to the Book of Jonah, so it’s inspired even more learning :) All in all, a win. I think it’s readable and enjoyable for a nontechnical and/or non-Jewish readership too, so I’d recommend it widely for people interested in the Bible.
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Source of the book: Spouseperson’s workplace. Review is of the hardcover
Amazingly, it doesn’t have any filler. Every chapter is intriguing. There are analyses of basically every aspect of the book, its tone and possible readings of it (also as a parody and/or as direct subversion of prophetic themes), detailed parallels drawn with other books of the Bible, even discussion of how other religions and artists have approached Jonah. (Didn’t expect any discussion of Christian views from an Orthodox Jewish publisher, but it was great!) It also enabled me to come up with my own perspective and notice things in the text.
I especially liked her discussion of how Jonah also appears in II Kings, how it is probably the same Jonah, how historically these mentions have been considered to be the same person – and what we can learn from that. She points out that with this in mind, Jonah had absolutely no problems prophesying about an expansion of Israel’s borders earlier. He accomplished that without any hitches. But when G-d tells him to go to Nineveh and prophesy to the Assyrians, he extremely doesn’t want to do that, even though that’s what G-d explicitly requests. G-d doesn’t want him to be a prophet only to Israel and only defend Israel – Jonah seems to be OK with that. Jonah is sent to Israel’s actual military opponents too. It’s not an abdication of all prophecy, Jonah’s issue is with this specific task. I can’t do justice to the lengthy discussion, but it explains other aspects of the book too.
(Brown doesn’t quite say it, but from a somewhat anachronistic present-day perspective, it seems to me like G-d wants to tell Jonah that Jonah is actually more of a Zionist than G-d and that’s taking it too far! A familiar phenomenon. ...Of course, Zionism wasn’t even invented back then, but ethnocentrism clearly was, and G-d apparently wasn’t such a fan of it...)
The book also made me look into multiple topics further connected to the Book of Jonah, so it’s inspired even more learning :) All in all, a win. I think it’s readable and enjoyable for a nontechnical and/or non-Jewish readership too, so I’d recommend it widely for people interested in the Bible.
______
Source of the book: Spouseperson’s workplace. Review is of the hardcover
September 25, 2017
Dr. Erica Brown accepts the view held by many scholars that Jonah son of Amitai is the same man who in II Kings 14:25-27 gave King Jeroboam II the divine prophecy to expand his kingdom in the eight century BCE. She accepts the biblical story as a true happening except for the huge fish swallowing the prophet, which she understands as a metaphor, “it is the monster of the deep, the fear-inducing tool of self-confrontation.” He was trapped in the monster “for three days, allowing him to either die in the leviathan or emerge and be reborn.”
Her book is part of the splendid Maggid series on the biblical books which explores the texts, themes, and personalities of the Bible. Each volume is composed by a different scholar. Dr. Brown enlightens us about Jonah by referring to and explaining the views of classical and modern Jewish and non-Jewish sources, literal readings and midrashic. The book is published in cooperation with OU Press. Dr. Brown’s book examines “the most psychologically and theologically charged book in the Bible.”
Scholars date the book to around the fifth or early fourth century BCE, reflecting occurrences of several centuries earlier. Yet, we can see these kinds of events still happening today. We are reminded of the story of Noah who saved his family and thereby future civilization in an ark, but Jonah sat in an ark-like structure in self-containment in the fish and later under the shade of a tree – “but [his salvation] only had room for one.” We, like Jonah, employ an enormous variety of clever devices to run away from our responsibilities and from ourselves.
While only four short chapters, the biblical book Jonah, chosen to be read during the midst of the solemn Yom Kippur service, challenges readers. Is it “a parody, a cautionary tale, a relational struggle of a Hebrew prophet with his God”? Is the first century historian Josephus correct that the book is not the story of a failed prophet but the story of a good king – the king of Nineveh? Was the repentance by the people of Nineveh shallow, superficial, and short-lived as some rabbis claim? What wrong did Nineveh commit that required repentance? How did they obliterate that wrong? How could Jonah think that he could escape from God? Why does the tale end so abruptly without Jonah’s response to God’s critique of him? Why does the deity insist that God cares for even people who cannot differentiate their right hand from their left, and even animals? Did Jonah come to realize that he did not understand God? Was Jonah a hero? What does his book teach us? Dr. Brown’s book is very enlightening and should be read. It prompts us to think.
Her book is part of the splendid Maggid series on the biblical books which explores the texts, themes, and personalities of the Bible. Each volume is composed by a different scholar. Dr. Brown enlightens us about Jonah by referring to and explaining the views of classical and modern Jewish and non-Jewish sources, literal readings and midrashic. The book is published in cooperation with OU Press. Dr. Brown’s book examines “the most psychologically and theologically charged book in the Bible.”
Scholars date the book to around the fifth or early fourth century BCE, reflecting occurrences of several centuries earlier. Yet, we can see these kinds of events still happening today. We are reminded of the story of Noah who saved his family and thereby future civilization in an ark, but Jonah sat in an ark-like structure in self-containment in the fish and later under the shade of a tree – “but [his salvation] only had room for one.” We, like Jonah, employ an enormous variety of clever devices to run away from our responsibilities and from ourselves.
While only four short chapters, the biblical book Jonah, chosen to be read during the midst of the solemn Yom Kippur service, challenges readers. Is it “a parody, a cautionary tale, a relational struggle of a Hebrew prophet with his God”? Is the first century historian Josephus correct that the book is not the story of a failed prophet but the story of a good king – the king of Nineveh? Was the repentance by the people of Nineveh shallow, superficial, and short-lived as some rabbis claim? What wrong did Nineveh commit that required repentance? How did they obliterate that wrong? How could Jonah think that he could escape from God? Why does the tale end so abruptly without Jonah’s response to God’s critique of him? Why does the deity insist that God cares for even people who cannot differentiate their right hand from their left, and even animals? Did Jonah come to realize that he did not understand God? Was Jonah a hero? What does his book teach us? Dr. Brown’s book is very enlightening and should be read. It prompts us to think.
January 7, 2018
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. An insightful and through analysis of the Book of Jonah's four short chapters, finding many different angles and approaches on Jonah's personality and the lessons the book teaches. She also synthesizes many previous attempts to capture the purpose of the book. Comparisons to Noah, Job, and Cain are fascinating.
August 31, 2024
A captivating read
"Erica Brown's 'Jonah, the Reluctant Prophet' beautifully blends humor and insight, exploring themes of faith and resistance. A captivating read that encourages reflection and deepens understanding of this timeless story."
"Erica Brown's 'Jonah, the Reluctant Prophet' beautifully blends humor and insight, exploring themes of faith and resistance. A captivating read that encourages reflection and deepens understanding of this timeless story."
September 3, 2018
Beautifully written, eminently thought-provoking and inspiring - vintage Erica Brown!
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September 28, 2023A collection of independent essays about the book of Jonah.
I read several, in preparation for Yom Kippur (haftarah reading in the afternoon).
I'll probably pick it up again next year!
I read several, in preparation for Yom Kippur (haftarah reading in the afternoon).
I'll probably pick it up again next year!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews