These small group studies of Jonah extensive cross-references, Bible study discussion questions, lessons to learn, and applications.  Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.

Jonah 1:1-9 Inductive Bible Study

Jonah 1:1-9

Running Away

Summary-God told Jonah to go to Ninevah and warn them of God’s wrath, due to their wickedness. In rebellion and fear, Jonah instead sought to run away from God and boarded a boat heading for Tarshish. Because of His disobedience, God sent a storm so great that it caused even seasoned sailors to be afraid, but Jonah was asleep, and unaware of the storm. When the sailors woke him and asked him to call on his God, they decided to cast lots to see whose fault the storm was. After the lot fell to Jonah, they asked him where he was from and what he did. His answer “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land,” struck terror into their hearts.

Central Teaching- It’s impossible to run from God, and it inevitably brings consequences.

Key Words- go, flee, great, storm, ship, god, lot, afraid

Key Verse- 1:3

Ten things this passage says-

  1. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and cry against it.
  2. Nineveh was a wicked city.
  3. Jonah disobeyed and boarded a ship for Tarshish, instead.
  4. Jonah thought he could flee from the presence of the Lord.
  5. The Lord caused a great wind to rise up and stir up a storm large enough to threaten the ship Jonah was on.
  6. Jonah was sleeping through the storm.
  7. Every shipmate was calling out to his god, and they urged Jonah to call out to his, as well.
  8. The sailors cast lots to see whose fault the storm was.
  9. The lot fell to Jonah, pointing to him as the one responsible.
  10. Jonah told them that he was a Hebrew, and that his God had created the sea and dry land.

Ten Things this passage does NOT say-

  1. God’s command to Jonah was optional, and Jonah could do it or not do it as he liked.
  2. The Ninevites weren’t all that bad, and God’s judgment of them was unjustified.
  3. Nineveh was an Israelite city, so it was usual for God to send a prophet to them.
  4. Jonah intended to obey God eventually.
  5. Jonah could flee from God’s presence.
  6. The storm that followed was just a coincidence, and had nothing to do with Jonah’s disobedience.
  7. The sailor’s efforts to appease the storm by their efforts (crying out to their gods and hurling the cargo into the sea) were successful.
  8. Jonah was feeling guilty over his disobedience to the Lord.
  9. God wasn’t in control of the lots, and it was just coincidence that it fell to Jonah.
  10. Jonah was a Gentile prophet, being sent to his own people.

What does this passage teach me about God?

God’s commands are clear, and they are to be obeyed.

God is just. He must punish wickedness.

God is omnipresent. I cannot flee from Him.

God is in control of nature. The winds and the weather obey Him.

God is the only God. No man-contrived god has any power.

God knows my sins, and He can cause them to be found out. Just because my conscience is quiet, does not mean He has forgotten.

God cares about the Gentiles, as well as the Jews.

God is missions-minded.

How does this passage apply to my life?

I should be aware of God’s presence in my life and never seek to flee Him.

Obedience to the Lord is not optional. I should obey the first time, every time, or He will just discipline me and give me more opportunities to obey.

God desires me to share Him with the lost.

Do not elevate my judgment above God’s.

Questions-

What does “Jonah” mean? Dove VI

What does “Amittai” mean? Truthful or loyal V1

What doubt does Jonah show that it was the Lord who spoke to him? V1

What did God command Jonah to do? V2

Why did God command Jonah to do that? V2

When did God want Jonah to do this? V2

Why was it unique that God would ask Jonah to go to Nineveh?This was the only case where God sent His prophet to a Gentile nation, instead of to Israel. JMSB says “This was for the salvation of that city and for the shame and jealousy of Israel, as well as a rebuke to the reluctance of the Jews to bring Gentiles to the true God” V2

What was Jonah’s response? V3

Why do you think he responded in this way? V3

Did he succeed in fleeing from the presence of the Lord? V3

What was the Lord’s response to Jonah’s disobedience? V4

What did this display about the Lord’s character and His power? V4

How did this endanger others traveling with him? V4

What were the sailors’ three responses to the storm?  V5

What does this say about the severity of the storm? V5

What was Jonah’s initial response to the storm? V5

What does the sailors’ response indicate about their character and beliefs? V5

What does Jonah’s initial response indicate about his character? V5

Why did the captain approach Jonah? V6

What did the captain’s question reveal about his faith in his people’s gods? In Jonah’s God? V6

How did they discover that the storm was Jonah’s fault? V7

Based on the cross references you have observed, was this method consistent with how Israel determined this kind of thing? Do you think God spoke through the lot? V7

What did the outcome of casting lots reveal about God’s character and power? V7

What was the sailor’s response to the outcome of the lots? V8

What did their response reveal about their beliefs? V8

What was Jonah’s response to their questions? V9

What did his response reveal about his beliefs? V9

Why do you think he identified God as he did, as the “Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land”? V9

Why was it strange that Jonah claimed to worship and fear God? How were his actions in opposition to that? V9

What were the consequences for Jonah’s action?

1.      The sailors’ fright (4-5a)

2.      The sailors’ prayer to their gods (v 5b)

3.      The sailors’ unloading the ship (v 5c)

4.      The captain’s speech to Jonah (v 6)

5.      The sailors’ word to each other (v 7a)

6.      The sailors’ question to Jonah, “Who are you?” (v 7b-8)

7.      Jonah’s confession (v 9)

8.      The sailors’ question to Jonah, “What have you done?” (v 10a)

9.      The sailors’ question to Jonah “What shall we do?” (v 10b-11)

10.  Jonah’s words to the sailors (v 12)

11.  The sailors’ rowing of the ship (v 13)

12.  The sailor’s prayer to the Lord (v 14)

13.  The sailors’ fear of the Lord (v 15-16)

Who would you say is the principal person in this narrative? Why? God

Comments or Observations-

V2- Nineveh was located 550 miles northeast of Samaria. This would have required Jonah to travel more than a month, if he journeyed the usual 15-20 miles a day. So not only was the city the largest in the world at the time (second only to Babylon; probably with a population of ~600,000), and known for violence, but it was also quite a lengthy journey from where he was. Jonah had numerous reasons for not wanting to go, but none were GOOD reasons.

Also, JMSB says “The name Nineveh is thought to derive from “ninus,” and means the residence of Nimrod or “nunu,” which means “fish.” The people worshiped the fish goddess Nanshe (the daughter of Ea, the goddess of fresh water) and Dagon the fish god who was represented as half man and half fish. Isn’t it interested that the Ninevites were fish worshipers, and Jonah was swallowed by a big fish? Anyway, this city was a center for idol worship, and was later destroyed for that very reason.

V3- This is the only recorded instance of a prophet refusing God’s commission. If the location is as suspected, it was as far west of the opposite direction as possible. Definite rebellion. H.C. Woodring says of it- “God wanted him to go to Nineveh, 500 miles northeast of Palestine. Instead of going east, Jonah went 2000 miles to the west. God wished Jonah to take an overland trip via the Fertile Crescent. Instead he took a distasteful sea voyage (the Jews hated the sea). God sent him to the greatest metropolis of the day. Instead Jonah headed for a remote trading post on the fringes of civilization. The Lord wished to go with His prophet. Instead Jonah tried to flee from the presence and power of God.”

V5 The sailors were probably Phoenicians, who believed in many gods, but not the true God. Phoenicians were known for their multi-theism and skill at sea. Note that the storm must have been very severe if such seasoned sailors were afraid because of it.

Cross References-

Jonah 1:1-

2 Kings 14:25

He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, which He spoke through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was of Gath-hepher.

Matt 12:39

But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet;

Luke 11:29-30

As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.”

Luke 11:32

“The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

Jonah 3:1

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

Jonah 1:2-

Gen 10:8-11

Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth.

He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.”  The beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah,

2 Kings 19:36

So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home, and lived at Nineveh.

Jonah 3:2

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

Jonah 4:11

“Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?”

Nah 1:1

The oracle of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

Nah 2-3

Nahum 2

2:1 The Overthrow of Nineveh

The one who scatters has come up against you. Man the fortress, watch the road; Strengthen your back, summon all your strength. 2 For the LORD will restore the splendor of Jacob Like the splendor of Israel, Even though devastators have devastated them And destroyed their vine branches.

3 The shields of his mighty men are colored red, The warriors are dressed in scarlet, The chariots are enveloped in flashing steel When he is prepared to march, And the cypress spears are brandished. 4 The chariots race madly in the streets, They rush wildly in the squares, Their appearance is like torches, They dash to and fro like lightning flashes. 5 He remembers his nobles; They stumble in their march, They hurry to her wall, And the mantelet is set up. 6 The gates of the rivers are opened And the palace is dissolved. 7 It is fixed: She is stripped, she is carried away, And her handmaids are moaning like the sound of doves, Beating on their b