Jonah received a prophecy to travel to the Assyrian capital city of Nineveh and warn its inhabitants to repent. Jonah tried to escape this mission by boarding a ship at the port of Jaffa. After a big storm and being swallowed by two fish, God puts Jonah back on track. Jonah then warns the city of Nineveh of its impending destruction. Miraculously, the people of Nineveh repent. Afterwards, Jonah questions God’s ways, and God asserts that He cares for all of His creations. According to one tradition, Jonah was the boy brought back to life by Elijah the prophet in I Kings 17:19-24. Another tradition asserts that he was the son of the woman of Shunem brought back to life by Elisha in II Kings 4:32-37 and that he is called the “son of Amittai” (truth) due to his mother’s recognition of Elisha’s identity as a prophet.
