A good story will give its reader a few surprises. The first three verses of the book of Jonah set us up for the surprises to come. The book is set among the books of the prophets, and we might logically expect a book of prophecy. In fact, we might even recognize the name of Jonah from 2 Kings 14:23–29 as the prophet who spoke the word of the Lord during the reign of Jeroboam II and expect that here, too, Jonah will serve as a powerful spokesman for God.

In addition, the name of Jonah means "dove," and his father’s name means "faithfulness." So, we can expect that this gentle dove, the emblem of peace and reconciliation, will be a faithful voice to the people of Nineveh, urging them to reconcile themselves with God.

But in verse 3, the narrator turns all these expectations on their heads. The story begins with the accepted formula introducing a prophetic message, "The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying ’Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.’"

We know how the next line should read: "And Jonah rose up and went to Nineveh, that great city, and cried out against it, according to the word of the Lord." But Jonah doesn’t know his lines. The narrator sets us up for a surprise as he tells us that Jonah rose not to go, but to flee; not to Nineveh, but to Tarshish; and not according to the word of the Lord, but away from the presence of the Lord.

And thus begins the story. Though Jonah begins with the conventions of a prophecy, it quickly turns into a story about a prophet, a story filled with exotic adventures, a storm at sea, merchant ships, long journeys, and prophecies of doom. Its settings include a ship at sea, a great and mysterious capital city, and the belly of a fish. It features a cast of thousands with featured roles for a wind, a fish, a vine, and a worm.

Most importantly, a good story has conflict, and the conflict is set up in these beginning verses. Somewhat surprisingly, the conflict is not between Jonah and Nineveh. It is between Jonah and God. God’s command in itself has some surprises. Other prophets brought God’s word directly to Israel, the people of God. His prophets sometimes cried out against the surrounding nations, but they did so from the streets of Jerusalem. To cry out against Nineveh was a respectable thing for a prophet to do. Nahum did it with vigor: "Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims" (3:1 NIV). Saying such things in the streets of Nineveh might call for some reflection.

No wonder Jonah heads straight for Tarshish. The narrator seems to catch Jonah’s hurry as he tells us in a flurry of verbs that Jonah "rose," and "went," and "found," and "paid," and "went on board," "away from the presence of the Lord." Action and counteraction. The story is underway. It is in our understanding of this action that we understand the meaning of the book of Jonah.

Why does Jonah flee? Is he afraid of Nineveh? Or like many other prophets, does he feel unworthy? Might he be worried about his reputation? Maybe he is a gentle dove who does not want to be an instrument of God’s wrath. The narrator lets us wonder. We can surmise at this point, but we won’t know the answer to that question until the very end of the story.

And what will happen to Nineveh, that great city? Will it be warned in time? God’s messenger is headed in the opposite direction. Is it possible that this bloodthirsty city could repent, even if it were warned in time? But the fate of Nineveh isn’t the only concern in this text. What will happen to this recalcitrant prophet, this dove who takes wing and flies from the work God has given him to do? What will God do? It is his turn now.

Much of this essay has been adapted from an article by Beverly Beem, "See Jonah Run: Comic Narrative in the Book of Jonah, " published in Spectrum 17.4 (May 1987): 38–44.

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