Jonah 3:7
“And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →The king decrees a total fast for all Nineveh, sparing neither people nor animals from food and water.
What Does Jonah 3:7 Mean?
The king turns his personal repentance into a public decree. By his authority and that of his nobles, a proclamation goes out through Nineveh: no one is to eat or drink, neither man nor beast, neither herd nor flock. The fast is total and even sweeps up the animals, an extraordinary measure that shows how seriously the whole city took the warning. The decree leaves no room for half-heartedness.
Including the very livestock in the fast underscores the depth of Nineveh's alarm and earnestness. This is no token gesture but a city-wide turning that touches every household and every field. Repentance, when it is real, reorders our whole life and is not content to remain private. The king uses his power not to defend the city's pride but to lead it in humility before God. When leaders turn, they can turn many with them, and Nineveh's wholehearted response stands as a rebuke to every shallow, comfortable religion.