Why Did Yonah Disobey Hashem/2

Why Did Yonah Disobey Hashem?

Exegetical Approaches

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Overview

Commentators differ regarding what prompted Yonah to flee from Hashem's mission. According to many modern exegetes, his disobedience stemmed from a fundamental disagreement with Hashem regarding Hashem's modes of justice. Yonah was troubled by the institution of repentance itself, believing it unjust that retribution could be avoided merely because someone regretted previous actions.

Others present Yonah as focused on the consequences of Nineveh's penitence. Thus, Ibn Ezra assumes that Yonah was motivated by his concern for the Nation of Israel, whose persistent refusal to heed the rebukes of its prophets would be placed in sharp contrast by Nineveh's repentance.  Alternatively, several Midrashim suggest that Yonah had his own personal interests in mind, fearing lest he be called a false prophet when his prophecy of doom would fail to come to pass.

Finally, R. Saadia Gaon and others question the assumption that Yonah disobeyed Hashem at all. They find it unfathomable that a prophet would defy the word of Hashem, leading them to conclude that Yonah must have initially gone to Nineveh as directed.

Theological Objections

Yonah's disobedience stemmed from his fundamental notions of how repentance should work or not work.

Sources:AbarbanelYonah 4About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel,¹ various modern commentators²

Not all repentance is accepted – These sources offer several ways of understanding why Yonah did not want to facilitate Nineveh's repentance:

• Repentance is not a substitute for punishment – Though Yonah believed that repentance for misdeeds is desirable, he did not think that repentance removes the need for retribution. In his view, justice requires that everyone receive their due, and atoning for or regretting one's actions cannot change that.
• Repentance out of fear is insufficient – Yonah felt that repentance which stems from fear of punishment is insincere, and will never be permanent.  Since it does not emanate from a true recognition of right and wrong and a sincere desire to change, as soon as the danger ends, a person will return to their previous ways.
• No repentance for idolators – According to Abarbanel, Yonah maintained that "תשובה" means returning to Hashem.  Thus, even if someone fixes their interpersonal behavior, their repentance can never be complete if they maintain their idolatrous beliefs.³  In other words, returning specifically to Hashem is a prerequisite for all repentance.

Character of Nineveh's repentance – These sources evaluate the repentance of the people in different ways, in line with their positions above:

• Sincere – The repentance was actually sincere, and the all encompassing nature (including animals as well) simply reflects the degree of guilt that the people of Nineveh needed to expiate.⁴  Yonah did not take issue with the quality of the repentance, but only with Hashem's reaction to it and Nineveh's evasion of punishment.
• Inferior repentance – The images of animals in sackcloth and requiring them to fast suggest that the entire scene is nothing but a parody of repentance.⁵  If repentance involves regret and change of heart, involving animals is farcical.  This might support the idea that the change was prompted only by fear, and as such was superficial.
• Changed actions not beliefs – Abarbanel claims that though the people repented of their crimes against their fellow men, they did not return to Hashem.  Thus, the verse states, "וַיַּרְא הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם", emphasizing their actions but not their beliefs. Though earlier the text shares that "וַיַּאֲמִינוּ אַנְשֵׁי נִינְוֵה בֵּאלֹהִים", this connotes a recognition of godly authority but not a monotheistic belief in Hashem.  Thus, in contrast to the surrounding verses, Hashem is called "אֱלֹהִים" and not by His proper name, Hashem.⁶

"כִּי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אַתָּה אֵל חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב חֶסֶד וְנִחָם עַל הָרָעָה" – Yonah's own explanation for his actions might support this reading of the story.  He says that he fled "because Hashem is a merciful God", implying that it is the fact that Hashem is merciful, rather than just, that troubles Yonah.  It is not coincidental that in quoting Hashem's attributes, he strikingly leaves out the attribute of Hashem's justice. In his opinion. In Yonah's opinion, eliminating deserved punishment might be merciful, but it is not "אמת".‎⁷

Message of the "קיקיון" – The analogy can be understood to have either of the following messages, each matching one of the potential objections of Yonah to Nineveh's repentance:

• Love erases punishment – Hashem is replying to Yonah's claim that punishment is necessary despite repentance. He teaches him that everyone needs mercy, even if undeserving, and that love should override pure justice. Yonah, who did not invest in the "קיקיון", and did not deserve it, still desired its life. As such, he should understand how Hashem would desire the survival of his creations. Repentance allows for erasure of destruction because love trumps pure justice.
• Short-lived repentance is worthwhile – Hashem is attempting to teach Yonah that repentance, however short-lived, is not worthless. Though his gourd lived for merely a day, Yonah cared deeply about it. So too, Hashem teaches Yonah, even if the people of Nineveh eventually revert to evil, in the moment of their repentance, it is accepted.⁸
• Repentance of idolators – It is unclear how the story of the קיקיון addresses Yonah's concern regarding the repentance of idolators.

Comparison to Avraham in Sedom – According to this approach, Yonah and Avraham might represent contrasting models of the desired balance between mercy and justice.  Avraham appears to call for mercy at all costs, asking that the wicked not be punished on behalf of the few righteous in Sedom.⁹ Yonah disagrees, claiming that the wicked should not be saved even if they repent. Hashem appears to agree with Avraham, telling him that with the requisite number of righteous He won't destroy Sedom, and telling Yonah similarly that He has mercy on Nineveh due to the great number of its innocent residents "who don't differentiate between their right and left."

Comparison to Eliyahu – The only other case in Tanakh in which a prophet appears to successfully effect change in the people is Eliyahu at Mt. Carmel.  Interestingly, there, too, immediately afterwards the prophet asks for death.  The request might come in part from Eliyahu's recognition that the change was short-lived. Eliyahu, like Yonah, does not see the value in temporary repentance.

Patriotism

Yonah's defiance of Hashem's command was rooted in his love of Israel and desire for their preservation.

Sources:Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Shemot12:1About Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Shemot, Tanchuma #2Vayikra 8About the Tanchuma, Rashi #1Yonah 1:2About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, Ibn EzraYonah First Commentary 1:1-2Yonah First Commentary 2:2Yonah First Commentary 4:3-6, 9-11About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, RadakYonah 1:1-3Yonah 3:5Yonah 4:1-6, 10-11About R. David Kimchi, AbarbanelYonah 1:1-3Yonah 4About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel

What is at stake for Israel? These sources disagree regarding how Yonah's fulfilling of his mission could have harmed Israel:

• Most of these commentators maintain that Yonah was concerned lest the immediate repentance of Nineveh cast Israel in a bad light, as the Children of Israel had refused to change their ways despite numerous prophetic rebukes.
• Abarbanel, in contrast, asserts that Yonah knew that Assyria was destined to exile the ten tribes, and thus he did not want to be the vehicle through which Israel's enemy was saved from destruction.

"לִבְרֹחַ... מִלִּפְנֵי י"י" – Did Yonah really think he could flee from God? The Mekhilta claims that Yonah fled outside of Israel since Hashem's presence  does not appear there¹⁰ and therefore he would not be able to receive prophecy.¹¹ R. Yonatan¹² adds that Yonah was willing to die for Israel's sake, as he says to the sailors, "הֲטִילֻנִי אֶל הַיָּם".  Yonah, then, might never have expected to avoid the repercussions of his actions.

Behavior during the storm – Yonah neither prays to Hashem for salvation nor does he seek forgiveness and commit to set out for Nineveh as commanded, because he prefers to die rather than become the vehicle to save Assyria and contribute to the ultimate destruction of Israel.

Yonah in the fish – It is inside the fish that Yonah realizes that Hashem won't spare him from fulfilling his mission, even through death.  Abarbanel explains Yonah's words "אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי נִגְרַשְׁתִּי מִנֶּגֶד עֵינֶיךָ אַךְ אוֹסִיף לְהַבִּיט אֶל הֵיכַל קׇדְשֶׁךָ" to mean that Yonah originally thought that he could hide from his prophetic mission, but now recognized that he was destined to eventually return and prophesy again. This leads to his change of heart and decision to fulfill Hashem's command.¹³

Message of the "קיקיון" – Radak asserts that Hashem showed Yonah how he felt sorry for the plant, even if this was only because its removal caused him pain. Thus, he should understand how Hashem would feel sorrow simply because His glory is diminished through the loss of his creations.  Radak, however, does not explain how this relates to Yonah's reluctance to cast Israel in a bad light.  Perhaps Hashem is teaching Yonah that he should realize that Hashem cares for all his creatures, not just about Israel.

Evaluation of Yonah – According to this approach, Yonah's motives were positive, though he was misguided in his methods.

Self Interest

Yonah's reluctance to fulfill Hashem's command was motivated by personal concerns.  This position subdivides regarding the exact nature of the concern:

Feared being Labeled a False Prophet

Yonah feared that when the people of Nineveh repented, Hashem's decree of destruction would be overturned and he would be accused of being a false prophet.

Sources:Tanchuma #1Vayikra 8Tzav 14About the Tanchuma, Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer10About Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Daniel AlKumisi the KaraiteYonah 1:1About Daniel AlKumisi the Karaite,  Rashi #2Yonah 4:2About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, RidYonah 1:3Yonah 4:11About R. Yeshayah of Trani

Must prophecies come true? Yonah's fear makes sense only if people believed that all prophecies must come true, regardless of one's actions. This might emerge from a simple understanding of Devarim 18:22, yet it would seem to negate the principle that individuals have the ability to overturn decrees through repentance, as expressed in Yirmeyahu 18.¹⁴  Yonah himself obviously assumed that prophecies of destruction are conditional on behavior,¹⁵ but for some reason he thought that the general populace would not agree.¹⁶

How can a prophet defy the word of Hashem?

• Tanchuma and Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer assert that Yonah attempted to flee to a place where Hashem's glory is not said to reside.  Since verse speak of Hashem's glory in both the heavens and the earth,¹⁷ he decided to run to the sea.¹⁸
• Alkumisi, the Karaite, explains that Yonah never expected to get away with his actions, but rather thought he would die. He does not explain however, why Hashem would choose a messenger who would defy him.

The storm and fish – This position views the storm and being swallowed by the fish as means of punishing Yonah and teaching him that he can not flee from the will of God.

Yonah's behavior in the boat and fish – Since Yonah preferred death over being called a false prophet, he was passive and apathetic in the boat, not joining in everyone's prayers for salvation.  He was even willing to be thrown overboard.  He was similarly initially silent in the fish, and only turned to Hashem after three days¹⁹ when he realized that Hashem would not let him die or escape doing His bidding.

"עַל כֵּן קִדַּמְתִּי לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה" – When Yonah sees the people's repentance and Hashem's overturning of his decree, he is distressed since this is what will lead others to call him a false prophet, and he explains that this is what initially led him to flee.²⁰

Message of the "קיקיון" – It is unclear how these commentators understand the symbolism of the gourd and what it was supposed to teach Yonah. Presumably, Hashem wanted to inculcate a message about the value of mercy and an appreciation for life to show Yonah that instead of worrying about his personal reputation, he should have been thinking about the lives of the inhabitants of Nineveh.

Why forgive? According to this position, Hashem's decision to overturn the decree resulted from the people's repentance.  His explanation to Yonah regarding the number of people in the city was just part of his lesson to Yonah that he should care about others beyond himself.

Objections to this position – Ibn Ezra challenges this position on several grounds:

• He asks why Yonah would care what the people of Nineveh thought of him; after all, he was not even living among them!
• Moreover, he questions how the inhabitants of Nineveh could possibly have concluded that Yonah was a false prophet.  They obviously understood that there was a chance that their repentance could overturn the decree, so they apparently thought that the prophet's role was to prompt them to change.  As such, when they were spared why would they have accused him of fraudulent prophecy?

Evaluation of Yonah – According to this approach, Yonah emerges as self centered, caring more about preserving his reputation than saving human lives.

Futile Mission

Yonah was certain that the people of Nineveh would not repent and that Hashem would nonetheless forgive them, thus rendering Yonah's efforts futile and irrelevant.  Being old and feeble, he preferred that Hashem send someone in his place.

Sources:R. Eliezer of BeaugencyYonah 1:3, 9Yonah 2:1-2Yonah 4:1-4, 11About R. Eliezer of Beaugency

How can a prophet defy the word of Hashem? According to R. Eliezer of Beaugency, Yonah did not really defy Hashem, and did not even want to refuse the command openly.  Instead, he chose to make himself scarce in the hopes that Hashem would choose a different messenger in his place.

Biblical parallels – R"E of Beaugency compares Yonah to Moshe and his similar attempt to avoid selection as Hashem's messenger and request of "שְׁלַח נָא בְּיַד תִּשְׁלָח".  He suggests that Yonah's refusal is really no worse than that of other prophets who tried to reject Hashem's call to prophecy.²¹ However, his comparison appears to ignore a fundamental difference in that other prophets responded humbly to Hashem and ultimately accepted their assignments, while Yonah attempts to simply flee from Hashem.

Yonah's assumptions – In contrast to other commentators, R"E of Beaugency has Yonah assume that the people of Nineveh would not repent fully.  This would seem to be a logical assumption based on the numerous failed attempts of prophets throughout Tanakh.

The storm and fish – These events were meant to move Yonah to submission so as to fulfill Hashem's mission.

Timing of Yonah's conversation in Chapter 4 – According to R"E of Beaugency, these verses are out of order, and take place before the end of the forty days.  Immediately after announcing the city's destruction, Yonah left and built himself a hut to "see what the city's fate was to be."²²  As such, at the time of the conversation, he was still unaware of the people's repentance.

"כִּי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אַתָּה אֵל חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם... וְנִחָם עַל הָרָעָה" – As Yonah assumed that the people were still persisting in their evil, he complained to Hashem why He nonetheless would forgive them and change the decree. Yonah argued that if that was Hashem's plan, and Yonah was to play no useful role, then why did Yonah have to trouble to travel and tire himself!²³

Request to die – According to R"E of Beaugency, this request stemmed from Yonah's weariness and low morale, and is parallel to Eliyahu's similar cry in Melakhim I 19, "קַח נַפְשִׁי," also said after a long journey, when the prophet felt that all his efforts were futile.

"הַהֵיטֵב חָרָה לָךְ" – R"E of Beaugency reads this as Hashem questioning Yonah, "Is this really a good reason to be upset?  Even if the people do not repent, and I have mercy, should you be so angry?"

Message of the "קיקיון" – Even though Yonah was mistaken, and the people really did change, Hashem wanted to teach Yonah that regardless, he should not be distressed if Hashem decides to have mercy on his creations when they are undeserving.²⁴  Thus, he shows Yonah how he cares so much for a gourd which he did not even plant, to demonstrate how much more so Hashem would care for those He did create.  Hashem appears to be saying that repentance is not the only consideration when deciding to destroy or save; sometimes parental love overrides justice.

"אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע בֵּין יְמִינוֹ לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ" – Hashem tells Yonah that the city is filled with people who do not know right from wrong, like babies and animals, and it is for them that Hashem would be willing to forgive the entire city even had they not changed their ways.

Did Not Disobey

Yonah never attempted to flee, but rather fulfilled Hashem's instructions.

Sources:R. Saadia GaonHaEmunot VeHaDeiot 3:5"On the Travels"About R. Saadia Gaon,²⁵ Yefet b. Eli the KaraiteYonah 1:3Yonah 1:15-16Yonah 2:2Yonah 2:10Yonah 3:3Yonah 3:11Yonah 4: 2-4About Yefet b. Eli the Karaite,²⁶ R"Y Kimchicited in Radak Sefer HaShorashim s.v. ברחAbout R. Yosef Kimchi, Radbazשו"ת רדב"ז ב':תתמ"ב

"וַיָּקׇם יוֹנָה לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה" – According to all of these commentators, these words do not describe an act of disobedience. However, the commentators differ fundamentally in their understandings of Yonah's intent and actions:

• Assumed fulfillment – According to R. Saadia, Yonah actually fulfilled Hashem's initial mission, even though this is not explicitly stated in the text,²⁷ and he fled only to avoid being called a second time.²⁸  Since the first mission entailed only rebuking the people of Nineveh, but contained no prophecy of destruction, Yonah was not worried about the possibility of being called a false prophet should the people repent, and was willing to do as told.²⁹  Afterwards, however, he fled outside of Israel where there is no prophetic inspiration to avoid being called upon to deliver a prediction of doom.³⁰
• Rereading the word "לִבְרֹחַ" – Both Yefet and R"Y Kimchi reinterpret the word "לִבְרֹחַ" to mean "to hurry",³¹ and they suggest that not only did Yonah not flee from Hashem's command, but he actually hastened to fulfill it.³²  Yefet and R"Y Kimchi, though, diverge regarding Yonah's intent:
• According to Yefet, Yonah felt that travel by sea would be the quickest route to Nineveh, and that heading to Tarshish was the most expedient way to execute his mission.³³  Thus, Yefet reads Yonah as loyally adhering to the spirit of Hashem's wishes, and not just technically submitting to the letter of the law.
• In contrast, R"Y Kimchi views Yonah as feeling compelled to technically fulfill Hashem's command, but attempting to do so in a way which would effectively sabotage the success of the mission and thereby preempt or "outmaneuver" Hashem.  According to his reading, Yonah rushes to convey the prophecy, before Hashem could provide him with the necessary ammunition (i.e. a sign or a wonder) which would enable its success.³⁴

The storm and fish – Yefet and R"Y Kimchi maintain that both the storm and being swallowed by the fish were meant, not to punish Yonah, but to serve as a miraculous sign which would lead people to believe in him as a prophet.³⁵  Yefet points out that as soon as the storm subsides, the sailors are indeed filled with faith, "וַיִּירְאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים יִרְאָה גְדוֹלָה אֶת י"י".‎³⁶

What motivates this reading? R. Saadia's and Yefet's rather forced readings of the story appear to both be motivated by philosophical considerations.  It is likely that they were influenced by the Islamic doctrine of prophetic impeccability ('isma) and the notion that Hashem would never choose a prophet who would be disobedient.³⁷  As such, it is unfathomable to them that Yonah could have defied Hashem.³⁸

Yonah's prayer in the fish – According to Yefet, the fact that Yonah is able to pray and doesn't lose his wits inside the fish proves that he recognized that this was Hashem's means of saving him from the sea rather than a punishment.  He further claims that Yonah's words "אַךְ אוֹסִיף לְהַבִּיט אֶל הֵיכַל קׇדְשֶׁךָ" were prophetic, and that he knew clearly that he was to emerge from the fish and eventually return to Israel.  This could explain why the prayer's character is one of thanksgiving rather than petition.

"מִלִּפְנֵי י"י" – Yefet explains that the phrase "מִלִּפְנֵי י"י" means from the place of Hashem's command, while R"Y Kimchi explains similarly that it refers to Yonah following the Divine instructions.

"וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל נִינְוֵה כִּדְבַר י"י" – Yefet notes that the fact that only after Hashem's second call to prophesy does the verse say that he did so "according to the word of Hashem" should not lead one to conclude that after the first call he did not abide by Hashem's word.³⁹ The phrase is left out of Chapter 1 only for technical reasons.⁴⁰

Nineveh's repentance: "וַיַּאֲמִינוּ אַנְשֵׁי נִינְוֵה בֵּאלֹהִים" – According to Yefet and R"Y Kimchi, the people of Nineveh's newfound belief was a direct result of having heard about the wonders that happened to Yonah at sea.⁴¹ Without such knowledge, there would have been little to motivate them to believe in the prophet's prediction.

Why is Yonah upset after the people repent? According to Yefet, Yonah's distress is not directly related to the repentance of Nineveh, which he had been eager to promote, but rather due to the huge contrast between their reaction to prophetic rebuke and that of Israel.  Despite scores of prophets, Israel still persisted in her evil ways.⁴²

"עַל כֵּן קִדַּמְתִּי לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה" – Before sharing with Hashem his distress over Israel, Yonah reiterates to Hashem the reason he hurried to Tarshish: Since Hashem is merciful, Yonah knew that if he could bring the people to repentance, Hashem would forgive them.  As such, he had been eager to fulfill the mission.

"Take my life" – Yonah's request to die out of his anguish over the fact that Israel continues to sin seems like a non sequitur, not really following from Yonah's announcement that he hurried to fulfill Hashem's words ("עַל כֵּן קִדַּמְתִּי לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה").  According to Yefet, Yonah is saying that now that he had successfully filled his mission, it was time to return to Israel, but he preferred to die rather than go back and see the nation punished for its sinful ways.

"הַהֵיטֵב חָרָה לָךְ" – Yefet reads this reply of Hashem as a show of solidarity with Yonah's sorrow.  Hashem tells Yonah that he is right to be upset; Hashem, too, finds it difficult when He sends prophets to Israel and they take no heed.

Message of the "קיקיון" – According to Yefet, the episode of the gourd was meant to teach the need for mercy.  Hashem saved the people of Nineveh not only because of their repentance but also because he felt mercy for his creations, especially for the many innocent children and animals.  It is not clear, however, why such a message was necessary for Yonah, who on his own had desired the repentance of Nineveh, and wanted to avert their destruction.  Yefet suggests that the message might not have been for the prophet himself, but for others who were to hear it.⁴³

"מִשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה רִבּוֹ אָדָם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע בֵּין יְמִינוֹ לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ" – Yefet claims that this refers to the many innocent children of Nineveh, who cannot be held accountable for any evil actions.

¹ This is not Abarbanel's main approach to understanding the story, but rather a secondary issue which comes out of his interpretation.  See also Malbim who follows his interpretation.

² See R"E Ben-Menachem, Da'at Mikra Commentary to Yonah, (1973): 7-8, Prof. U. Simon, Mikra LeYisrael, Commentary to Yonah (1992), Prof. D. Henshke, "למשמעו של ספר יונה", Megadim 20 (1998): 75-90, and many others.

³ See Hardened Hearts where Abarbanel is consistent in this view and justifies hardening Paroh's heart by suggesting that idolaters cannot truly repent, since it would be like "immersing in a ritual bath while holding an impure creature".

⁴ See Bavli Taanit 16a which points to the people of Ninevah as a role model for proper repentance.

⁵ Cf. the opinions of the various Amoraim in Yerushalmi TaanitTaanit 2:1About the Yerushalmi.

⁶ Note how, in contrast to the people of Nineveh, the sailors (and, of course, Yonah) both cry out to Hashem (rather than Elokim). See R. Tzvi Romm, "The Failed Teshuvah of Nineveh", in the Benjamin and Rose Berger Torah to Go Series (2015): 10-14, who analyzes the various changes of Hashem's name throughout the story and what this says about the quality of the people's repentance.

⁷ R"E Ben-Menachem points to Yonah's name, יונה בן אמיתי, as a further indication that he was a man marked by his belief in "אמת".

⁸ It is possible that this was the message Yonah was meant to learn in the fish as well. Hashem placed him in a position of near destruction and he, like the people of Nineveh, repented only out of fear, reverting back to his original position soon after.  Despite the knowledge that Yonah's repentance might be short-lived, Hashem still saved him.

⁹ For this and other understandings of Avraham's request regarding Sedom, see Avraham's Prayer for Sedom.

¹⁰ The choice of Tarshish specifically might relate to Yeshayahu 66:19 which mentions Tarshish as a land in which  "לֹא שָׁמְעוּ אֶת שִׁמְעִי".

¹¹ Ibn Ezra finds support for this idea in the fact that the text states  "לִבְרֹחַ... מִלִּפְנֵי י"י", rather than "‏מפני י"י‏".  This indicates that though Yonah realized that he could never hide from Hashem Himself (מפני י"י), he thought that he could still go to a place where there would be no prophetic inspiration.   He points to Eliyahu's words, "חַי י"י אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתִּי לְפָנָיו" (Melakhim I 17:1) as evidence that the term "לפני ה'"  relates to a relationship with Hashem and prophetic capabilities.

¹² See also Abarbanel in his wake.

¹³ Abarbanel further reads, "וַאֲנִי בְּקוֹל תּוֹדָה אֶזְבְּחָה לָּךְ אֲשֶׁר נָדַרְתִּי אֲשַׁלֵּמָה" as Yonah metaphorically telling Hashem that he is willing to do Hashem's bidding and fulfill his mission.

¹⁴ See also Yechezkel 3:16-21 and 33:7-11.

¹⁵ If not, he need not have worried about Hashem overturning the decree.

¹⁶ For a full discussion of the signs of a false prophet and whether or not prophecies must be fulfilled see Distinguishing Between True and False Prophets.

¹⁷ See Tehillim 113:4 ("עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם כְּבוֹדוֹ") and Yeshayahu 6:3 ("מְלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ").

¹⁸ However, it is difficult to assume that Yonah really thought that Hashem's presence was absent in the sea.

¹⁹ It is actually not clear from the verses when Yonah offers his prayer.  Though Chapter 2 opens with the statement that Yonah was in the fish for three days, and only afterwards speaks about him praying, it is possible that the three day time marker is simply an introduction relating to the entire ordeal.

²⁰ Ibn Ezra rejects this and argues that, originally, Yonah had not yet been told to announce the impending destruction of the people, and he should have had no reason to fear being labeled a fraud. However, even though not explicitly stated in the text, it is certainly possible that Yonah was already given the full instructions in his initial call to prophecy.

²¹ See RashbamBereshit 32:29About R. Shemuel b. Meir who also compares the refusals of Moshe and Yonah, but suggests that both were punished and almost killed for their disobedience.

²² This phrase, "עַד אֲשֶׁר יִרְאֶה מַה יִּהְיֶה בָּעִיר" is what allows him to say that the verses happen before the city fully repents.

²³ R"E of Beaugency does not explain how Yonah knew that Hashem had decided not to destroy the city.

²⁴ R"E of Beaugency claims that Hashem did eventually told Yonah about the people's repentance. This, however, is not explicit in the text.

²⁵ R. Saadia combines this position with the approach above that Yonah feared being called a false prophet.

²⁶ Yefet's Arabic commentary on Yonah together with a medieval Hebrew translation was published from MS Leiden 4750 by E. Schlossberg, "פירוש יפת בן עלי הקראי לספר יונה בתרגום עברי מימי הביניים", Kovez Al Yad 18 (5765): 81-121.  The passages discussed here are cited from his edition.

²⁷ As support, he points to the many cases in Torah where the verse states that Hashem spoke to Moshe, telling him to relay something to the nation, but the text never mentions that Moshe fulfilled the directive.  This is just assumed by the reader.  Here, too, Yonah's obedience is meant to be assumed.

²⁸ The Radbaz, based on his understanding of Targum Yonatan, offers a variation of this approach, suggesting that Yonah fled to avoid even the first call.  Yonah had prophetic inspiration that Hashem was soon to ask him to travel to Nineveh, leading him to travel outside of Israel where he would not be able to prophesy.  According to this reading, verses 1-2 must be viewed as an introduction to the book and only occurred after the rest of Chapter 1. Radbaz explains that the phrase "וַיָּקׇם יוֹנָה לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה מִלִּפְנֵי י"י" means that Yonah fled to Tarshish before the word of God [of verses1-2] appeared to him.  This reading fails to account for the opening of Chapter 3 which states "וַיְהִי דְבַר י"י אֶל יוֹנָה שֵׁנִית", which implies that Hashem had indeed already spoken to Yonah.

²⁹ If the people repented and thereby averted punishment, no words of his would be overturned since he had never said that they were to be destroyed.

³⁰ R. Saadia, like Pirkei DeR. Eliezer above, suggests that Yonah wanted to avoid a second prophecy out of concern that when the people of Nineveh would repent, the prophesied destruction would be averted, and Yonah would then be accused of having prophesied falsely.

³¹ As evidence for such a usage, he points to Shir HaShirim 8:14 and Bemidbar 24:11. This latter prooftext, however, is somewhat weak as the root ברח in the verse can easily be understood as "run away."

³² Unlike R. Saadia, both Yefet and R"Y Kimchi assume that there was only a single command of Hashem, and that there was no (untold) prior fulfillment by Yonah of this command.  Both also emphasize the critical importance of the miracle which happened to Yonah in the sea for the success of his mission – see elaboration below.

³³ In addition to the lexical difficulty in understanding "לִבְרֹחַ", it is also questionable how traveling in the exact opposite direction than needed could possibly have been a quicker route.  Yefet thus suggests the possibility that Yonah knew that Hashem was going to perform a miracle for him, and that this miracle would bolster his credentials and cause the people of Nineveh to believe his prophecy.

³⁴ R"Y Kimchi's position synthesizes elements of both R. Saadia's and Yefet's interpretations. He is similar to R. Saadia in his overall outlook that Yonah attempted to prevent the people of Nineveh from repenting.  However, he is similar to Yefet in his rendering of "ברח" as "to hasten", and his understanding that the miracle at sea was intended to bolster Yonah credibility in the eyes of Nineveh.

³⁵ Yefet even suggests that Yonah may have boarded the ship because he knew that Hashem intended to make this miracle.

³⁶ For R. Saadia, in contrast, they are a means of telling Yonah that he can not escape future prophecies.

³⁷ For a full discussion of some of the Islamic influences on Yefet in his commentary to the Book of Yonah, see J. Andruss, "The Judaeo-Arabaic Commentary on the book of Jonah by the Karaite Japheth ben Eli: Introduction and Translation," MA Thesis for Ohio State University (2007).

³⁸ Yefet attempts to view Yonah as a model of complete obedience and loyalty to Hashem's wishes.  R. Saadia (and R"Y Kimchi), on the other hand, portray Yonah as adhering to the letter of Hashem's command, while trying to avoid contributing to the realization of Hashem's wishes.

³⁹ This is one of Daniel Alkumsi's arguments against Yefet's reading.

⁴⁰ Since Hashem told Yonah to travel to Nineveh, but Yonah did so via Tarshish, the text would sound awkward if it read "Yonah went to Tarshish according to the word of God".

⁴¹ He assumes that some of the sailors aboard the ship who witnessed the miracle had arrived in Nineveh and shared what they had seen.

⁴² R. Saadia, in contrast, reads this as Yonah's fear that with the change in decree, he will be called a false prophet.

⁴³ He points out that Hashem could have easily just told the message to Yonah but he did so via an analogy because then it becomes sweeter to the listeners.