Structure – Sefer Yonah/0

From AlHaTorah.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Structure – Sefer Yonah

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Division into Units

I. The First Mission (Chapters 1-2)
II. The Second Mission (Chapters 3-4)

This division is supported by the following factors:

  • Content – Chapters 1-2 contrast Yonah's flight from God and his near destruction at sea with the sailors' turning to god and their salvation.  Chapters 3-4 speak of Yonah's heeding his mission, the salvation of the Ninevites ad 
  • Location – The first two chapters take place at sea, while the last two take place on land, in and around Nineveh.
  • Characters – While Yonah and the sailors are the main characters of the first unit, Yonah and the people of Nineveh are the focus of the second.
  • Parallel openings: Both units open with near identical language, highlighting the contrast: in one Yonah turns away from God's word; in the other he heeds the call.
EN/HEע/E
(א) וַיְהִי דְּבַר י״י אֶל יוֹנָה בֶן אֲמִתַּי לֵאמֹר. (ב) קוּם לֵךְ אֶל נִינְוֵה הָעִיר הַגְּדוֹלָה וּקְרָא עָלֶיהָ (א) וַיְהִי דְבַר י״י אֶל יוֹנָה שֵׁנִית לֵאמֹר. (ב) קוּם לֵךְ אֶל נִינְוֵה הָעִיר הַגְּדוֹלָה וּקְרָא אֵלֶיהָ
(ג) וַיָּקׇם יוֹנָה לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה מִלִּפְנֵי י״י

(ג) וַיָּקׇם יוֹנָה וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל נִינְוֵה כִּדְבַר י״י

Subdivision of Unit I

I. Near Destruction of Boatmen
II. Miracle at Sea and Prayer

Subdivision of Unit II I. Near Destruction of Nineveh II.


Parallel Structure

Subdivision of Scene II