Editing Jonah (section)

===In Judaism===
{{See also|Jonah in rabbinic literature}}
[[File:Kennicott Bible 305r.l.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Illustration of Jonah being swallowed by the fish from the [[Kennicott Bible]], folio 305r (1476), in the [[Bodleian Library]], Oxford]]
The Book of Jonah (Yonah יונה) is one of the twelve [[minor prophets]] included in the Hebrew Bible. According to one tradition, Jonah was the boy brought back to life by [[Elijah]] the prophet in 1 Kings.<ref>{{bibleverse||1 Kings|17|9}}</ref>{{sfn|Green|2005|pages=126–127}} Another tradition holds that he was the son of the [[woman of Shunem]] brought back to life by [[Elisha]] in 2 Kings<ref>{{bibleverse|2 Kings|4|9}}</ref>{{sfn|Green|2005|page=127}} and that he is called the "son of [[Amittai]]" (''Truth'') due to his mother's recognition of Elijah's identity as a prophet in 1 Kings.<ref>{{bibleverse|1 Kings|17:24|9}}</ref>{{sfn|Green|2005|page=127}} The Book of Jonah is read every year, in its original Hebrew and in its entirety, on [[Yom Kippur]] – the Day of Atonement – as the [[Haftarah]] at the afternoon [[mincha]] prayer.{{sfn|Mirsky|1990|page=354}}{{sfn|Isaacs|2006|page=65}} According to [[Rabbi Eliezer]], the fish that swallowed Jonah was created in the primordial era{{sfn|Green|2005|page=128}} and the inside of its mouth was like a [[synagogue]];{{sfn|Green|2005|page=128}} the fish's eyes were like windows{{sfn|Green|2005|page=128}} and a pearl inside its mouth provided further illumination.{{sfn|Green|2005|page=128}}

According to the [[Midrash]], while Jonah was inside the fish, the fish told him that its life was nearly over because soon the [[Leviathan]] would eat them both.{{sfn|Green|2005|page=128}} Jonah promised the fish that he would save them.{{sfn|Green|2005|page=128}} Following Jonah's directions, the fish swam up alongside the Leviathan{{sfn|Green|2005|page=128}} and Jonah threatened to leash the Leviathan by its tongue and let the other fish eat it.{{sfn|Green|2005|page=128}} The Leviathan heard Jonah's threats, saw that he was [[circumcised]], and realized that he was protected by the [[God in Judaism|Lord]],{{sfn|Green|2005|page=128}} so it fled in terror, leaving Jonah and the fish alive.{{sfn|Green|2005|page=128}} 

The medieval Jewish scholar and rabbi [[Abraham ibn Ezra]] (1092–1167) argued against any literal interpretation of the Book of Jonah,{{sfn|Gaines|2003|page=20}} stating that the "experiences of all the prophets except Moses were visions, not actualities."{{sfn|Gaines|2003|page=20}} The later scholar [[Isaac Abarbanel]] (1437–1509), however, argued that Jonah could have easily survived in the belly of the fish for three days,{{sfn|Gaines|2003|page=18}} because "after all, fetuses live nine months without access to fresh air."{{sfn|Gaines|2003|pages=18–19}}

[[Repentance in Judaism|Teshuva]] – the ability to repent and be forgiven by God – is a prominent idea in Jewish thought. This concept is developed in the Book of Jonah: Jonah, the son of truth (the name of his father "Amitai" in Hebrew means ''truth''), refuses to ask the people of [[Nineveh]] to repent. He seeks the truth only, and not forgiveness. When forced to go, his call is heard loud and clear, and the people of Nineveh repent ecstatically, "fasting, including the sheep", and the Jewish text is critical of this.<ref>{{cite book|title=Babylonian Talmud|chapter=Sanhedrin|at=61a}}.</ref> The Book of Jonah also highlights the sometimes unstable relationship between two religious needs: comfort and truth.<ref>Bashevkin, Dovid. [http://www.thelehrhaus.com/timely-thoughts/2016/9/29/jonah-and-the-varieties-of-religious-motivation-a-religious-educators-perspective-on-why-people-become-religious "Jonah and the Varieties of Religious Motivation."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012155807/http://www.thelehrhaus.com/timely-thoughts/2016/9/29/jonah-and-the-varieties-of-religious-motivation-a-religious-educators-perspective-on-why-people-become-religious|date=12 October 2016}} ''Lehrhaus''.  9 October 2016.  11 October 2016.</ref>

Twelfth-century Jewish rabbi and explorer [[Petachiah of Regensburg]] visited Jonah's tomb during his visit to the Holy Land, and wrote: "There is a beautiful palace built over it. Near it is a pleasure garden wherein all kinds of fruit are found. The keeper of the pleasure garden is a Gentile. Nevertheless, when Gentiles come there he gives them no fruit, but when Jews come he gives them a friendly reception, saying, Jonah, son of Amittai, was a Jew, therefore it is due to you to partake of what is his, and then gives to the Jews to eat thereof." Petachiah did not provide details about the exact location of the tomb.<ref>Travels of Rabbi Petachia of Ratisbon, p. [https://web.archive.org/web/20120415052054/http://www.teachittome.com/seforim2/seforim/travels_of_rabbi_pesachia_of_regensburg.pdf 59]</ref>

'''In the Book of Tobit'''

Jonah is mentioned twice in the fourteenth chapter of the [[Codex Vaticanus|Vaticanus]] version of [[Deuterocanonical books|deuterocanonical]] [[Book of Tobit]],{{sfn|Bredin|2006|pages=47–50}} the conclusion of which finds Tobit's son, Tobias, rejoicing at the news of Nineveh's destruction by [[Nebuchadnezzar]] and [[Ahasuerus]] in apparent fulfillment of Jonah's prophecy against the Assyrian capital.{{sfn|Bredin|2006|pages=47–50}}<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ebible.org/eng-Brenton/TOB14.htm | title=Brenton Septuagint Translation Tobit 14 }}</ref> The [[Codex Sinaiticus]] version of the book, which is longer and aligns more closely with the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], refers to [[Nahum]] instead of Jonah, as well as [[Cyaxares]] instead of Nebuchadnezzar and Ahasuerus.{{sfn|Grabbe|2003|p=736}} This more reliable version of the story is the basis for most modern translations.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://bible.usccb.org/bible/tobit/14 | title=Tobit, CHAPTER 14 &#124; USCCB }}</ref>