New American Standard Bible 1995

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Jonah

4

:

11

"Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?"

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
"Should I not have compassion to pity, look upon with compassion Verb H2347 אָח֔וּס a·chus,
on Nineveh, capital of Assyr. Noun H5210 נִינְוֵ֖ה ni·ne·veh
Analysis:

Nine: Work, deed, outcome, result…

The number nine is understood in Judaism to express the concept of work, deed, outcome or result. A common illustration that is offered is a woman is pregnant for nine months and then the outcome / result of this pregnancy is manifested. Although the number appears several times in the Old Covenant, in general it is used to simply express an allotment of time; that is, something that happened in the ninth year. It is when one considers the appearance of the number nine in the New Covenant that the interpretation for the number becomes clear. In the book of Luke, Yeshua ministers to ten lepers. As these ten lepers obey Yeshua's command to go and show themselves to the priests, they were healed. Only one of those who were healed went back to thank Yeshua. The nine apparently continued on towards the priests. The point is that the one leper who returned to Yeshua really was the only one who was changed; the nine were only healed outwardly. Biblically, leprosy is not the disease that most of the world usually assumes, a natural skin ailment that is highly contagious. In the Bible, leprosy is also highly contagious, but its cause is pride and unkind speech. Hence, it was the one who returned to Yeshua that really had been healed not only outwardly, but inwardly too, as he did not think of only being pronounced clean by the priests, but first he wanted to thank Yeshua. Thanksgiving is an act of humility and not pride. The nine who were healed and did not return to Yeshua, only focused on the outcome of the miracle. In other words, they only looked to the deed or the work of Yeshua and not the spiritual aspects of their situation.

When studying the number six, we also spoke about the number nine. Please note that many English translations, even some of the more literal ones, still make interpretations for the reader which are not warranted. This is often the case when hours (time of day) are mentioned. The ninth hour is actually three in the afternoon. Therefore, instead of leaving the text in its original manner, many translations prefer to change the ninth hour to three in the afternoon without informing the reader of the literal rendering. In doing so, the translation robs the reader of being able to benefit from the significance that a proper understanding of numbers adds to the text.

In the example given in our study of the number six, it is stated that there was darkness over the earth from approximately the sixth hour until the ninth (see Matthew 27:45). It was interpreted that the use of the numbers six and nine together expressed that Yeshua being on the Cross was the deed / work (9) that made the grace of God (6) possible. Likewise, in the next verse (Matthew 27:46), Yeshua cries out at about the ninth hour, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me." This statement speaks about the outcome / result of sin. Not Yeshua's sin (God forbid), as He was without sin! However, Scripture states that this One Who knew no sin; that God made Him sin for us, so we could become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21). The point is that Scripture mentions the ninth hour to reveal the outcome of Yeshua becoming sin on our behalf, i.e. His death. Sin and death are inherently related in the Bible, so it is also at the ninth hour the outcome / consequence of sin, is manifested. It is clear that Yeshua dying at the ninth hour was not a random happening. It pointed to the work of the Messiah, dying for the sins of the world. 

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Read more about: Nineveh
the great great Adjective H1419 הַגְּדֹולָ֑ה hag·ge·do·v·lah;
city city, town Noun H5892 הָעִ֣יר ha·'ir
in which who, which, that Particle H834 אֲשֶׁ֣ר a·sher
there being, substance, existence, is sub H3426 יֶשׁ־ yesh-
are more to be or become much, many or great Verb H7235 הַרְבֵּה֩ har·beh
than from H4480    
120,000 two (a card. number) Noun H8147 מִֽשְׁתֵּים־ mish·teim-
persons man, mankind Noun H120 אָדָ֗ם a·dam
who who, which, that Particle H834 אֲשֶׁ֤ר a·sher
do not know to know Verb H3045 יָדַע֙ ya·da
[the difference] between an interval, space between Prepostion H996 בֵּין־ bein-
their right right hand Noun H3225 יְמִינֹ֣ו ye·mi·nov
and left hand, the left Noun H8040 לִשְׂמֹאלֹ֔ו lis·mo·lov,
as well as many much, many, great Adjective H7227 רַבָּֽה׃ rab·bah.
animals?" a beast, animal, cattle Noun H929 וּבְהֵמָ֖ה u·ve·he·mah

Locations

Nineveh

NINEVEHnin'-e-ve (nineweh; Nineue, Nineui; Greek and Roman writers, Ninos): I. BEGINNINGS, NAME, POSITION1. First Biblical Mention2. Etymology of the Name3. Position on the TigrisII. NINEVEH AND ITS SURROUNDINGS1. Its Walls2. Principal Mounds and Gateways3. Extent and Population within the Walls4. Extent outside the Walls5. Calah, Resen and Rehoboth-Ir6. Kho... View Details

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 "Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?"
King James Bible "Should I And should not have compassion on I spare Nineveh, the that great city in which there city, wherein are more than 120,000 sixscore thousand persons who do not know the difference that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand, as well as many animals?"hand; and also much cattle?
Hebrew Greek English "Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?"