Jonah 3:9
New International Version
Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

New Living Translation
Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.”

English Standard Version
Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”

Berean Standard Bible
Who knows? God may turn and relent; He may turn from His fierce anger, so that we will not perish.”

King James Bible
Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

New King James Version
Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?

New American Standard Bible
Who knows, God may turn and relent, and turn from His burning anger so that we will not perish.”

NASB 1995
“Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.”

NASB 1977
“Who knows, God may turn and relent, and withdraw His burning anger so that we shall not perish?”

Legacy Standard Bible
Who knows, God may turn and relent and turn away from His burning anger so that we will not perish.”

Amplified Bible
Who knows, God may turn [in compassion] and relent and withdraw His burning anger (judgment) so that we will not perish.”

Christian Standard Bible
Who knows? God may turn and relent; he may turn from his burning anger so that we will not perish.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Who knows? God may turn and relent; He may turn from His burning anger so that we will not perish.

American Standard Version
Who knoweth whether God will not turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

English Revised Version
Who knoweth whether God will not turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Who knows? God may reconsider his plans and turn from his burning anger so that we won't die."

Good News Translation
Perhaps God will change his mind; perhaps he will stop being angry, and we will not die!"

International Standard Version
Who knows but that God may relent, have compassion, and turn from his fierce anger, so that we are not exterminated?"

Majority Standard Bible
Who knows? God may turn and relent; He may turn from His fierce anger, so that we will not perish.?

NET Bible
Who knows? Perhaps God might be willing to change his mind and relent and turn from his fierce anger so that we might not die."

New Heart English Bible
Who knows whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?"

Webster's Bible Translation
Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

World English Bible
Who knows whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Who knows? He turns back, and God has relented, and has turned back from the heat of His anger, and we do not perish.”

Young's Literal Translation
Who knoweth? He doth turn back, and God hath repented, and hath turned back from the heat of His anger, and we do not perish.'

Smith's Literal Translation
Who shall know God will turn back and lament, and turning back from the burning of his anger and we shall not perish?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Who can tell if God will turn, and forgive: and will turn away from his fierce anger, and we shall not perish?

Catholic Public Domain Version
Who knows if God may turn and forgive, and may turn away from his furious wrath, so that we might not perish?”

New American Bible
Who knows? God may again repent and turn from his blazing wrath, so that we will not perish.”

New Revised Standard Version
Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Who knows if God will return and have mercy upon us, and remove from us his fierce anger, that we may perish not?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Who knows if God turns and shows mercy upon us and turns from us the heat of his wrath that we will not be destroyed!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Who knoweth whether God will not turn and repent, and turn away from His fierce anger, that we perish not?'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Who knows if God will repent, and turn from his fierce anger, and so we shall not perish?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Nineveh Repents
8Furthermore, let both man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and have everyone call out earnestly to God. Let each one turn from his evil ways and from the violence in his hands. 9Who knows? God may turn and relent; He may turn from His fierce anger, so that we will not perish.” 10When God saw their actions—that they had turned from their evil ways—He relented from the disaster He had threatened to bring upon them.…

Cross References
Jeremiah 18:7-8
At any time I might announce that a nation or kingdom will be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed. / But if that nation I warned turns from its evil, then I will relent of the disaster I had planned to bring.

Joel 2:13-14
So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster. / Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him—grain and drink offerings for the LORD your God.

Exodus 32:14
So the LORD relented from the calamity He had threatened to bring on His people.

Amos 7:3
So the LORD relented from this plan. “It will not happen,” He said.

2 Chronicles 7:14
and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

Ezekiel 18:21-23
But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. / None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live. / Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?

Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.

Jeremiah 26:3
Perhaps they will listen and turn—each from his evil way of life—so that I may relent of the disaster I am planning to bring upon them because of the evil of their deeds.

Jeremiah 36:3
Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about all the calamity I plan to bring upon them, each of them will turn from his wicked way. Then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

1 Kings 21:27-29
When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly. / Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: / “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity during his days, but I will bring it upon his house in the days of his son.”

Matthew 12:41
The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here.

Luke 11:32
The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here.

Acts 17:30
Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.

Romans 2:4
Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.


Treasury of Scripture

Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

Jonah 1:6
So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

2 Samuel 12:22
And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?

Psalm 106:45
And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.

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Anger Burning Changing Compassion Destruction Fierce Heat Overtake Perish Purpose Relent Repent Repented Turn Turned Turning Whether Withdraw Wrath
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Anger Burning Changing Compassion Destruction Fierce Heat Overtake Perish Purpose Relent Repent Repented Turn Turned Turning Whether Withdraw Wrath
Jonah 3
1. Jonah, sent again, preaches to the Ninevites.
5. Upon their repentance,
10. God relents.














Who knows?
This phrase reflects a sense of uncertainty and hope. In Hebrew, the expression "mi yodea" suggests a humble acknowledgment of human limitations in understanding God's will. It conveys the idea that while humans cannot predict divine actions, there is room for hope and repentance. This rhetorical question invites reflection on the nature of God's mercy and the possibility of divine intervention in response to human repentance.

God may turn and relent
The Hebrew word for "turn" is "shuv," which means to return or repent. This is significant because it implies a change in direction or purpose. The word "relent" is translated from "nacham," which can mean to be sorry, to console oneself, or to change one's mind. In the context of the Old Testament, these terms often describe God's response to human actions, emphasizing His willingness to forgive and alter His course of action when people genuinely repent. This phrase underscores the compassionate and responsive nature of God, who is not bound by a predetermined course but is open to altering His plans in light of human repentance.

He may turn from His fierce anger
The phrase "fierce anger" in Hebrew is "charon aph," which literally means "burning of the nose," a vivid metaphor for intense anger. This anthropomorphic expression highlights the severity of God's wrath against sin. However, the possibility that God "may turn" from this anger illustrates His readiness to forgive and withhold judgment when people turn from their wicked ways. It reflects the biblical theme that God's justice is tempered by His mercy, and His desire is not to punish but to restore.

so that we will not perish
The word "perish" in Hebrew is "avad," which means to be lost, destroyed, or to vanish. This term conveys the ultimate consequence of sin, which is destruction and separation from God. The use of "we" indicates a communal aspect of repentance and salvation, emphasizing that the actions of individuals can impact the fate of the entire community. This phrase serves as a reminder of the stakes involved in repentance and the hope that through turning to God, destruction can be averted, and life preserved.

Verse 9. - Who can tell? (2 Samuel 12:22). An expression of hope that the Divine, wrath may be averted by the timely repentance. It is the same form of words as in Joel 2:14, "Perhaps God would thereby indicate that he had himself put it into their mouths" (Pusey; comp. Jeremiah 18:11). If God; i.e. the one God, whom the king and his people now acknowledge as supreme, like the idol worshippers at Carmel, when they fell on their faces, crying, "Jehovah, he is the God" (1 Kings 18:39).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Who
מִֽי־ (mî-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

knows?
יוֹדֵ֣עַ (yō·w·ḏê·a‘)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

God
הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

may turn
יָשׁ֔וּב (yā·šūḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

and relent;
וְנִחַ֖ם (wə·ni·ḥam)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5162: To sigh, breathe strongly, to be sorry, to pity, console, rue, to avenge

He may turn
וְשָׁ֛ב (wə·šāḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

from His fierce
מֵחֲר֥וֹן (mê·ḥă·rō·wn)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2740: A burning of anger

anger,
אַפּ֖וֹ (’ap·pōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 639: The nose, nostril, the face, a person, ire

so that we will not
וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

perish.”
נֹאבֵֽד׃ (nō·ḇêḏ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish


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OT Prophets: Jonah 3:9 Who knows whether God will not turn (Jon. Jh)
Jonah 3:8
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