SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:9
¿Quién sabe si se convertirá y se arrepentirá Dios, y se convertirá del furor de su ira, y no pereceremos?
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Jonah 3:9
Verse 9. Who can tell if God will turn and repent] There is at least a peradventure for our salvation. God may turn towards us, change his purpose, and save us alive. While there is life there is hope; God has no pleasure in the death of sinners; he is gracious and compassionate. Himself has prescribed repentance; if we repent, and turn to him from our iniquities, who knows then whether God will not turn, &c.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 9. Who can tell , etc.] The Septuagint and Arabic versions prefix to this the word “saying”, and take them to be, not the words of the king, but of the Ninevites; though very wrongly: or “who is he that knows”; which some connect with the next word, “he will return”: that is, that knows the ways of repentance, he will return, as Kimchi and Ben Melech; or that knows that he has sinned, as Aben Ezra: or that knows the transgressions he is guilty of, will return, as Jarchi; and so the Targum, “whosoever knows that sins are in his hands, he will return, or let him return, from them:” but they are the words of the king, with respect to God, encouraging his subjects to the above things, from the consideration of the probability, or at least possibility, of God’s being merciful to them: [if] God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce wrath , that we perish not ? he speaks here not as nor as absolutely doubting, but as between hope and fear: for, by the light of nature, it is not certain that God will pardon men upon repentance; it is only probable or possible he may; neither the light of nature nor the law of Moses connect repentance and remission of sins, it is the Gospel does this; and it is only by the Gospel revelation that any can be assured that God will forgive, even penitent sinners; however, this Heathen prince encourages his subjects not to despair of, but to hope for, the mercy of God, though they could not be sure of it; and it may be observed, that he does not put their hope of not perishing, or of salvation, upon their fasting, praying, and reformation, but upon the will, mercy, and goodness of God.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 5-10 - There was a wonder of Divine grace in the repentance and reformation of Nineveh. It condemns the men of the gospel generation, Mt 12:41. A very small degree of light may convince men that humbling themselves befor God, confessing their sins with prayer, and turning from sin, are mean of escaping wrath and obtaining mercy. The people followed the exampl of the king. It became a national act, and it was necessary it shoul be so, when it was to prevent a national ruin. Let even the brut creatures' cries and moans for want of food remind their owners to cr to God. In prayer we must cry mightily, with fixedness of thought firmness of faith, and devout affections. It concerns us in prayer to stir up all that is within us. It is not enough to fast for sin, but we must fast from sin; and, in order to the success of our prayers, we must no more regard iniquity in our hearts, Ps 66:18. The work of fast-day is not done with the day. The Ninevites hoped that God woul turn from his fierce anger; and that thus their ruin would be prevented. They could not be so confident of finding mercy upon their repentance, as we may be, who have the death and merits of Christ, to which we may trust for pardon upon repentance. They dared not presume but they did not despair. Hope of mercy is the great encouragement to repentance and reformation. Let us boldly cast ourselves down at the footstool of free grace, and God will look upon us with compassion. God sees who turn from their evil ways, and who do not. Thus he spare Nineveh. We read of no sacrifices offered to God to make atonement for sin; but a broken and a contrite heart, such as the Ninevites then had he will not despise __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
מי 4310 יודע 3045 ישׁוב 7725 ונחם 5162 האלהים 430 ושׁב 7725 מחרון 2740 אפו 639 ולא 3808 נאבד׃ 6
