The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of God's Mercy

by Timothy J. Keller

The word the Ninevites use is “God,” the generic word Elohim, rather than the personal, covenant name, “Yahweh,” that the Lord uses with his people Israel. There is no mention of the residents of Nineveh forsaking their gods and idols. They did not offer sacrifices to the Lord, nor was there any rite of circumcision. This is why almost all commentators agree that Jonah did not successfully convert the Ninevites.5 What, then, was really happening? The king of Nineveh understood God to be saying that each citizen of the city must “forsake his evil way and the violence that he plans toward others” (verse 8). Violence is “the arbitrary infringement of human rights. . . . Of such social injustice Nineveh was blatantly guilty.”6 Assyrian imperialism, cruelty, and social injustice were condemned by other Hebrew prophets as well (Isaiah 10:13ff; Nahum 3:1,19).