3:3 Jonah arose and went. Having learned that the call of God is irrevocable (cf. Rom. 11:29), Jonah responded to the Lord’s renewed commission. Though he obeyed God this time, Jonah was “displeased” with the prospect of Ninevite repentance (4:1, 2).

Nineveh was. Some have suggested that the use of the past tense (“was”) indicates that the city was no longer in existence at the time of writing. Given the city’s destruction in 612 b.c. by the Medes and Babylonians, this interpretation would date the narrative sometime after the late seventh century b.c. The past tense does not preclude an eighth-century date, however, for it may simply indicate the status of the city when the prophet arrived.

an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey. The Hebrew is difficult to translate. Many commentators interpret these phrases as a reference to the physical size of Nineveh. Archaeological exploration has shown that the city was between seven and eight miles in circumference with an estimated population of 120,000 people. Others suggest that the first formula should be translated “a very important city,” or more lit. as “a great city to God” (emphasizing its significance rather than size). This latter reading fits the context better. The second expression (lit. “journey of three days”) could indicate the duration of visit appropriate (in terms of ancient Near Eastern diplomatic protocol) for an emissary to such an important city.