6. There are two parts: I. The former calling of Jonah to preach at Nineveh, and its lack of success (Jonah 1; 2). II. The latter calling of Jonah, and its better success (Jonah 3; 4). A Synoptic Table of the book, and its Interpreters, Ancient, Reformed, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Hebrew.
But, since a twofold calling of Jonah to preach repentance to the Ninevites, and the success of both, is described in this history, it will be suitable to sum this up in two general parts.
I. The prior calling of Jonah to preach to Nineveh, and its lack of success, Chapters 1; 2. See:
1. The calling of Jonah to preach (verses 1, 2): chapter 1:1, 2.
2. His refusal and its lack of success. See:
a. The flight of Jonah towards Tarshish (verse 3): chapter 1:3.
b. The punishment of Jonah fleeing, who, with a tempest rising on the sea (verses 4-6), and with the lot cast and falling upon him, is cast into the deep as a sacrifice of the tempest (verses 7-16), and is alone devoured by a whale, a sea monster (verse 17): chapter 1:4-17.
c. The prayer of Jonah, hidden in the viscera of the whale, wherein he proclaims the grace of God (verses 1, 2), anxiously relates his danger (verses 3-7), and promises to God sacrifices and the fulfillment of his vows (verses 8, 9): chapter 2:1-9.
d. The deliverance of Jonah from the belly of the whale (10): chapter 2:10.
II. The latter calling of Jonah, and its happier success, Chapters 3; 4. See:
1. The call repeated (verses 1, 2): chapter 3:1, 2.
2. The obedience of Jonah, preaching destruction to the Ninevites after forty days (verses 3, 4): chapter 3:3, 4.
3. The successful outcome of his preaching among the Ninevites, in which, by the command and example of the King, the whole population, even those of recent birth, is commanded to abstain from food and drink: beasts of burden also, and animals of diverse sorts, furnish an appearance of lamentation with the men (verses 5-9); moved by this repentance, God spares them (verse 10): chapter 3:5-10.
4. The impatience of Jonah, complaining before God, that truth had not been present in the words (verses 1-3), with which reproved, God demonstrates the equity of his mercy towards the penitent by the type of the same Jonah concerning the gourd eaten away by the worm (verses 4-11): chapter 4.