Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah saying“Go preach to Nineveh, they’re disobeying.”But Jonah fled to Tarshish from the presence of the LordOn a ship down in Joppa, paid the fare, went aboardThe Lord sent a mighty tempest out over the deepJonah was down in the hold fast asleepThe captain came down, he said “Open your eyes!Cry out to your God that we might not die!”The men on the boat gathered, they cast lots on the deckTo find who was responsible for the potential shipwreckThe lot fell on Jonah, they said “Who are you?Where are you from? And what did you do?”Jonah told them, “I’m a Hebrew and from God I ran,From the one who made all the seas and dry land.”The men were afraid they said, “What have you done?Why didn’t you obey God? Why did you run?”The storm raged harder all aroundThey asked Jonah, “What must we do for the sea to quiet down?”“Throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm.For I know it’s my fault that this storm rages on.”The men, not wanting to kill Jonah, tried to row back to shoreBut the sea grew even wilder than it was beforeThey pleaded with God, “Lord don’t let us die,Or hold us accountable for taking an innocent man’s life!”Then they took Jonah, threw him off the vesselAs soon as that happened, the sea became tranquilThe Lord provided for Jonah, he’d live to tell the taleAfter spending three days and nights in the belly of a whaleFrom inside the fish, Jonah prayedGod listened to Jonah and came to his aidHe commanded the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry landTold the prophet to go to Nineveh as originally plannedThis time Jonah the prophet obeyedWent through the city, it took him three daysAs he went, he proclaimed “Let it be known.In forty more days Nineveh will be overthrown.”The Ninevites believed God, became contriteThey wore sackcloths, and fasted all day and all nightJonah’s warning eventually reached the kingWho removed his robes and sat down in the dust proclaiming“Let it be known by royal decreeAll men are to fast and get down on their knees.Give up evil ways and violence. Repent!For God in his mercy might yet relent.”God had compassion when saw the earnest displayFrom promised destruction His hand was stayedBut to Jonah, all of this seemed very wrongAngrily he said, “I knew you would do this all along!You are a gracious God, compassionate tooAbounding in love in all that you doNow, take away my life, for it’s better I die.”“Must you be angry?” was the Lord’s replyJonah went east of the city to watch with a frownBuilt a modest shelter and haughtily sat downThe Lord provided the prophet with some shadeTo protect Jonah’s head a leafy plant God madeThis castor bean plant made Jonah very happyBut what happened next made him quite snappyGod sent a worm at dawn on the following dayThe worm chewed the plant and it withered awayWhen the sun rose, a scorching wind cameIt was so hot it nearly made Jonah faint“Just let me die Lord,” again he expressed“Kill me so I can at last have rest.”“Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” God saidJonah replied, “Yes, I’m so angry I wish I were dead!”The Lord answered, “Jonah, this lesson you haven’t learned.About this plant you were greatly concerned.Yet you did not tend it, or make it growIt sprang up and died overnight, you know?Should Nineveh really not have my pity?Much more than a plant, it is a great cityOne hundred and twenty thousand people there will not perishFor it’s a repentant heart that I cherish.”
