Jonah 3:5
“So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The people of Nineveh believe God, declare a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least.
What Does Jonah 3:5 Mean?
The response is astonishing. The people of Nineveh believed God, the pagan enemies of Israel taking a prophet's word to heart. They proclaim a fast and put on sackcloth, the rough cloth of mourning and penitence, and they do so from the greatest of them even to the least. No one is exempt; the whole city humbles itself before a God they had not known. This is one of the most sweeping repentances in all of Scripture.
What a single short sermon could not accomplish by its eloquence, God accomplished by His Spirit working in hearts. Jesus would later point to these very Ninevites as a witness against those who heard a greater voice and would not repent. Their belief reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God's mercy, not even a city famed for cruelty. Genuine faith shows itself in humble turning, and when even the greatest bow with the least, true repentance is at work. God delights to receive all who turn to Him.
In the Original Language
aman (אָמַן), 'believed' -- to trust or rely firmly; the same root behind amen, it describes Nineveh placing real faith in God's word through Jonah.