Structure – Sefer Yonah/0

Structure – Sefer Yonah

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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 describe Yonah's aborted mission and Hashem's lesson that one cannot flee from God. Chapters 3-4, in contrast, describe Yonah's fulfilling of his mission and Hashem's message regarding the importance of mercy.
• Each of the two units contains a secondary story regarding the near destruction of non-Israelites who are saved as they turn to God.
• 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 nearly identical language, with the second adding only that Hashem called "a second time", clearly marking the book's division into two.

• Parallel structure – See below that there is a symmetry in the overall structure of the two units, further supporting the division.

Subdivision of Unit I: First Mission

A. Near Destruction of Boatmen  (Chapter 1)
B. Miracles and Prayer (Chapter 2)

• Content – While the first chapter focuses on near destruction, the second highlights salvation.¹
• Location – Chapter 1 takes place on the boat, while Chapter 2 takes place in the body of the fish.
• Characters – The first chapter focuses on the interplay between the sailors and Yonah.  In contrast, Yonah is the sole character of Chapter 2.
• Genre – While Chapter 1 is written in prose, Chapter 2 is mainly poetry.
• Literary indicators – Chapter 2 is framed by the fish swallowing / releasing Yonah, clearly setting it off as a unit of its own.

Subdivision of Unit II: Second Mission

A. Near Destruction of Nineveh (Chapter 3)
B. Prayer and Miracle (Chapter 4)

• Content – While Chapter 3 highlights the repentance of Nineveh, Chapter 4 focuses on Yonah's reaction to it.
• Characters – The people of Nineveh are the focus of Chapter 3, with Yonah acting as a secondary character. In contrast, Yonah (and Hashem) is the central figure of Chapter 4.
• Location – Chapter three all occurs within Nineveh, while the events of Chapter 4 take place on the outskirts of the city.

Parallel Structure

The events and content of the two halves of the book are somewhat parallel as illustrated by the following chart:

 

Subdivision of Scene II

¹ Commentators dispute the nature of Yonah's Prayer, with some reading it as a prayer of thanksgiving and others as a request for salvation. However, even those who read it as a petition, agree that the overall tone is positive as the prophet expresses his confidence in being saved.