1 And the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying,

2 Up! go to Nineveh, that great town, and give it the word which I have given you.

3 So Jonah got up and went to Nineveh as the Lord had said. Now Nineveh was a very great town, three days' journey from end to end.

4 And Jonah first of all went a day's journey into the town, and crying out said, In forty days destruction will overtake Nineveh.

5 And the people of Nineveh had belief in God; and a time was fixed for going without food, and they put on haircloth, from the greatest to the least.

6 And the word came to the king of Nineveh, and he got up from his seat of authority, and took off his robe, and covering himself with haircloth, took his seat in the dust.

7 And he had it given out in Nineveh, By the order of the king and his great men, no man or beast, herd or flock, is to have a taste of anything; let them have no food or water:

8 And let man and beast be covered with haircloth, and let them make strong prayers to God: and let everyone be turned from his evil way and the violent acts of their hands.

9 Who may say that God will not be turned, changing his purpose and turning away from his burning wrath, so that destruction may not overtake us?