Digital Logos Edition
The book of Jonah is about divine mercy, divine justice, and God’s freedom to offer each to whomever he chooses—whether Israel’s oppressive enemy, a rebellious prophet, or God’s elect people. Yahweh is not bound by anyone’s opinion of how he should act or what he must do to remain just, merciful, or compassionate. The book offers a contrast between the strict and swift justice Jonah wants and the undeserved mercy God offers.
The Lexham Research Commentary is your starting point for study and research. Each volume gives you the tools you need to find answers quickly. This commentary is designed to do the time-consuming work of searching through commentaries, journal articles, and monographs to find the information you need, saving you valuable time by curating all of the best literature in one place—it’s a commentary on the commentaries. The annotated notes on the various viewpoints and interpretive options within the text allow you to quickly synthesize a broad range of views on a particular passage. Dense, jargon-filled research is distilled into easy-to-understand comments. As you critically study the text, the contextual notes help you place the passage within the narrow context of the biblical book and the broader context of the entire canon.
The Lexham Research Commentaries were formerly known as the Lexham Bible Guides.
“inconsistency of one graciously brought back from the brink of deserved destruction churlishly” (Jonah 2:2–9)
“First, the city and the Assyrian Empire it represented were famous for their wickedness and brutality.” (Jonah 1:2)
“Regardless of the book’s date, it is reasonable to conclude that the writer intended to address the notion of God’s exclusive concern for the Jewish people by emphasizing the inclusive nature of God’s mercy and compassion.” (source)
“Rather, the lessons we learn from Jonah should challenge us to examine our own attitudes about God’s mercy and grace and about his desire to accomplish his purposes through us.” (source)
“Third, the Ninevites’ response to Jonah’s message was part of God’s plan to call his own people to repentance” (Jonah 1:2)
The Lexham Research Commentary provides the following for each literary unit:
Wendy Widder holds a PhD in Near Eastern studies from the University of the Free State, an MA in Hebrew and Semitic Studies from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and an MDiv from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. She is the author of Living Whole Without a Better Half, A Match Made in Heaven: How Singles and the Church Can Live Happily After, and the coauthor of The Forest and the Trees: Helping Teachers Integrate a Biblical Worldview Across the Curriculum.
Douglas Mangum is an academic editor for Lexham Press. He holds a PhD in Hebrew from the University of Free State and holds an MA in Hebrew and Semitic Studies from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is a Lexham English Bible and Lexham Research Commentary editor, a Faithlife Study Bible contributing editor, a Studies in Faithful Living co-author, a regular Bible Study Magazine contributor, and a frequently consulted specialist for the Lexham Bible Dictionary.
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