Via Emmaus Bible Reading Plan: A Few Resources on Jonah

This month our Bible reading plan takes us to the Minor Prophets. To help us assemble these books and understand their message, here are a number of resources to Jonah, the first book of The Twelve. You can find more information about the Minor Prophets here.

An Outline of Jonah

Jonah is one of the most intricately written books in the Old Testament. With increasing levels of detail, here are three outlines.

The Message of the Twelve (p. 167)

A Jonah and the pagan sailors who turn to the Lord (chap. 1)

B Jonah and the Lord: Jonah’s song of thanksgiving for his salvation (chap. 2)

A’ Jonah and the pagan Ninevites who turn to the Lord (chap. 3)

B’ Jonah and the Lord: Jonah’s anger over the Lord’s compassion on Nineveh (chap. 4)

The ESV Study Bible (p. 1685–86)

A. Jonah’s commissioning and flight (1:1–3)

B. Jonah and the pagan sailors (1:4–16)

C. Jonah’s grateful prayer (1:17–2:10)

A′. Jonah’s recommissioning and compliance (3:1–3a)

B′. Jonah and the pagan Ninevites (3:3b–10)

C′. Jonah’s angry prayer (4:1–4)

D. Jonah’s lesson about compassion (4:5–11)

Ernst Wendland

The most detailed outline of Jonah comes from Ernst Wendland. In his two JETS articles (Part 1 and Part 2), Wendland provides numerous literary structures in Jonah. Here is the basic outline from his work.

A. (1:1–3) Yahweh calls Jonah the first time and he flees from Nineveh

B. (1:4–16) A life/death crisis; exhortation by the captain; Jonah’s unwilling message to the pagan sailors of the ship; result: they all repent and pray

C. (1:17) Surprising transition: Yahweh saves Jonah by means of a great fish

D. (2:1–9) Jonah’s response, a pious prayer: thank you—for letting me live

E. (2:10) Instruction: Yahweh’s miraculous object lesson is complete—Jonah is safely delivered

A’. (3:1–3) Yahweh calls Jonah the second time and he travels to Nineveh

B’. (3:4–9) A life/death crisis; Jonah’s unwilling message to the pagan people of the city; exhortation by the king; result: they all repent and pray (an even greater number)

C’. (3:10) Surprising transition: Yahweh saves Nineveh by “repenting” himself

D’. (4:1–4) Jonah’s response, a peeved prayer: please—just let me die

E’. (4:5–9) Instruction: Yahweh’s miraculous object lesson in the plant, worm and wind—Jonah is sorely afflicted

F’ (4:10–11) Conclusion (thematic peak): Yahweh’s last word to Jonah and to every current listener: “Salvation belongs to Yahweh” (cf. 2:9)