So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "exceedingly great city" is literally "great to God," highlighting that its vastness was not just impressive to humans but was also recognized in God's divine plan, a plan that included the potential for its salvation. This greatness, described as a three-day journey around its circumference, underscores the immense scale of the task Jonah was given and the profound impact God's mercy could have.
So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After his dramatic rescue from the sea, Jonah receives God's command a second time. This time, Jonah obeys, arising to travel to the great Assyrian capital of Nineveh, a city so vast it would take three days to cross. The description of Nineveh's immense size underscores the daunting task God has given Jonah and the magnitude of the people he is sent to warn.
Jonah had already tried to run from God. What changed this time? The answer is both simple and profound.
The text highlights a crucial shift in Jonah's response: "So Jonah arose and went... according to the word of the LORD." This is a stark contrast to his earlier flight (Jonah 1:3). His initial disobedience stemmed from a desire to avoid God's mercy towards Nineveh. However, after his dramatic rescue from the sea, Jonah's perspective was transformed. The experience in the belly of the fish wasn't just a terrifying ordeal; it was a powerful encounter with God's protective power amidst the depths. This humbling experience recalibrated Jonah’s understanding of God's sovereignty and ability to preserve life even in the face of death. True repentance doesn't just mean saying sorry; it means a change of direction, fueled by a deeper understanding of God's character and power. Jonah's renewed obedience wasn't a grudging compliance, but a courageous step, demonstrating that his faith, though tested, was now rooted in a profound experience of God's faithfulness.
Nineveh wasn't just big; the Bible describes it with a unique phrase that reveals God's perspective.
The description of Nineveh as "exceedingly great" is intensified by the literal Hebrew phrase, "great to God." This doesn't mean God was surprised by its size. Instead, it signifies a greatness that God Himself acknowledged and valued. It reflects a Hebrew way of speaking where superlatives are often intensified by referencing God, implying something is supremely excellent or significant in His eyes. This greatness was not just in its physical size—a city so vast it could take three days to traverse its circumference—but also in its population, which God later reveals to be over 120,000 people (Jonah 4:11). This immense population, capable of great evil but also, as it turned out, of great repentance, was significant to God’s purposes. He cared deeply about this sprawling metropolis, its inhabitants, and their destiny.
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The prophetic word to Jonah was delivered during the height of the Neo-Assyrian Empire's power, with Nineveh serving as its impressive and formidable capital. The city's immense size and perceived invincibility made God's mercy, offered through Jonah's unwilling prophecy, all the more astonishing.
c. 745 BC
Assyrian Empire's Rise
Under rulers like Tiglath-pileser III, the Neo-Assyrian Empire began a period of aggressive expansion and reorganization. Nineveh was a key administrative and religious center within this burgeoning empire.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Northern Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrians, leading to the deportation of its people. This event heightened the awareness and fear of Assyrian power among the Israelites.
c. 705-681 BC
Reign of Sennacherib
Sennacherib extensively rebuilt and beautified Nineveh, making it the magnificent capital city described in the book of Jonah, adorned with palaces and gardens.
c. 612 BC
Fall of Nineveh
An alliance of Babylonians and Medes sacked and destroyed Nineveh. This marked the end of the Neo-Assyrian Empire and was a fulfillment of prophecies against the city.
This passage describes Nimrod as a 'mighty hunter before the LORD,' similar to how Nineveh is described as 'great to God,' highlighting a divine perspective on human greatness and power.
Psalm 36:6The expression 'mountains of God' parallels Nineveh being 'great to God,' illustrating how the Hebrew mindset referred to things of exceptional size or beauty by associating them with God.
Matthew 12:41Jesus refers to the Ninevites as repenting at Jonah's preaching, directly connecting this event to the outcome of Jonah's message and showing the impact of prophetic warnings across different eras.
1 John 5:4This verse speaks of faith being the victory that overcomes the world, resonating with Jonah's courage to face the great city of Nineveh, demonstrating that faith in God empowers believers to confront seemingly insurmountable challenges.
cambridgeJonah 3:3: "So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey."
3 . arose, and went ] Before, he arose and fled . He is still the same man. There is still the same energy and decision of character. But he is now “as ready to obey as before to disobey.” was ] It has been asserted that the use of the past tense here, “according to all sound rules of interpretation, must be understood to imply that, in the autho…
barnesJonah 3:3: "So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey."
And Jonah arose and went unto Nineveh - , ready to obey, as before to disobey. Before, when God said those same words, "he arose and fled;" now, "he arose and went." True conversion shows the same energy in serving God, as the unconverted had before shown in serving self or error. Saul's spirit of fire, which persecuted Christ, gleamed in Paul li…
The phrase "exceedingly great city" is literally "great to God," highlighting that its vastness was not just impressive to humans but was also recognized in God's divine plan, a plan that included the potential for its salvation. This greatness, described as a three-day journey around its circumference, underscores the immense scale of the task Jonah was given and the profound impact God's mercy could have.
After his dramatic rescue from the sea, Jonah receives God's command a second time. This time, Jonah obeys, arising to travel to the great Assyrian capital of Nineveh, a city so vast it would take three days to cross. The description of Nineveh's immense size underscores the daunting task God has given Jonah and the magnitude of the people he is sent to warn.
After his dramatic rescue from the sea, Jonah receives God's command a second time. This time, Jonah obeys, arising to travel to the great Assyrian capital of Nineveh, a city so vast it would take three days to cross. The description of Nineveh's immense size underscores the daunting task God has given Jonah and the magnitude of the people he is sent to warn.
"So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth." — The phrase "exceedingly great city" is literally "great to God," highlighting that its vastness was not just impressive to humans but was also recognized in God's divine plan, a plan that included th…
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Last reviewed October 2026