JONAH, BOOK OF. The book of the prophet Jonah is in the form-of a historical narrative, and the history purports to be that of a prophet Jonah ben Amittai, of Gath-hepher in Galilee, who lived in the time of Jeroboam II. It is not possible, however, to regard the work as a product of this early period. The language is some times that of the latest style of Hebrew; at other times it is modelled on that of late books (compare Jonah Hi. 9 with Joel ii. 14; Jon. iv. 2 with Jo. ii. 13, Exod. xxxiv.
8, Psalms lxxxvi. 15, ciii. S). It has been pointed out also that the introduction of marvellous features is in the style of the books of Chronicles and Daniel. The book is in fact a parable, the fundamental idea of which, as Conlin says, clearly points to a very late period. " It is a protest against the pernicious arrogance of the Judaism that followed Ezra. which is jealous because God is so gracious, and which is in danger of losing its faith because Jahve does not extirpate and annihilate the heathen, as later prophecy had hoped and promised that He should." The book teaches that God is not merely a God of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles. The story of Jonah is referred to in the New Testament (Luke xi. 29 ff.; Matthew xii. 39 ff.). On this account many persons would like to regard it as historical. But the
story is not necessarily referred to as anything more than a story, which was familiar to everyone. It should be noted that in the original Hebrew Jonah is swallowed not by a " whale " but by a " great fish." The second chapter of the book is composite, and is clearly a later insertion. If the book is interpreted as an allegory, C. H. H. Wright explains that " Jonah represents Israel fleeing from the duty imposed on the nation in its pro phetic character as a witness for God. The sleep of Jonah, the storm on the sea, Jonah's bold confession of faith when aroused from slumber, admit of easy explana tion. The world-power is actually represented in the prophets as a sea-monster (see Isa. xxvii.; Jer. 1i. 34). That sea-monster is represented as, in the person of Nebuchadnezzar, swallowing up Israel (IL 34). Bel, the god of Babylon, is forced to disgorge his prey (li. 44). Israel's duration in exile is represented by Hosea as lasting for three days " (Hosea vi. 1). See C. H. H. Wright. Intr. to the O.T.; C. Cornill, Intr.; G. H. Box: O. C. Whitehouse; C. F. Kent, The Sermons, Epistles and Apocalypses of Israel's Prophets, 1910.