Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
3:4 Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed! Jonah’s message apparently did not include a contingency clause—e.g., “But if you repent, God will not destroy you” (note the king’s uncertainty in 3:9). Jonah knew, however, of God’s desire for people to repent rather than be destroyed (3:10; 4:2).
Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
3:4 Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed! Jonah’s message apparently did not include a contingency clause—e.g., “But if you repent, God will not destroy you” (note the king’s uncertainty in 3:9). Jonah knew, however, of God’s desire for people to repent rather than be destroyed (3:10; 4:2).
Literal English (Darby)ⓘThe Darby Bible (1890) — like YLT, a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation. Used here for the Old Testament, since YLT itself only covers the New Testament.The Darby Bible (1890) — like YLT, a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation. Used here for the Old Testament, since YLT itself only covers the New Testament.
And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!
Hebrew (Masoretic Text)ⓘThe Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.The Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.
King James VersionⓘKing James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.King James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
American Standard VersionⓘAmerican Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.American Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.
And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
World English BibleⓘWorld English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.World English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.
Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried out, and said, “In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!”
Bible in Basic EnglishⓘBible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written with a ~1,000-word vocabulary. Easiest to read, least precise wording.Bible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written with a ~1,000-word vocabulary. Easiest to read, least precise wording.
And Jonah first of all went a day's journey into the town, and crying out said, In forty days destruction will overtake Nineveh.