- What does the name Yonah mean literally?
- Is there an indication of where Jonah might have been when “the word of God” comes to him — or an indication of what period in history?
- Jonah is instructed to go to Nineveh and to call out to the city because its actions are considered transgressive — and is there anything else that he is expected to do?
- Jonah opts for non-responsiveness and seeks to flee to Tarshish — utilizing what mode of flight?
- Would Jonah 1:3 indicate that nautical traffic between the coast of Israel and other areas was “normal”?
- Has Jonah said anything to God or has he simply acted?
- The storm described in Jonah 1:4 does not specifically indicate that it was directed at Jonah but is it
- possible to arrive at any other conclusion?
- What, then, does the author implicitly indicate as to the potency of Divinity?
- While the sailors (and others) undertake measures to alleviate the situation in the midst of the storm, what does Jonah do?
- Would Jonah’s actions seem to be that of one who is secure or one who assumes that fate cannot be thwarted — or neither?
- The captain of the craft calls upon Jonah not for help but, rather, to “call upon your God” so that perhaps there would be some respite; does he specify the name of the god or is it a generic reference?
- Would it appear that Jonah responded?
- Those on the boat proceed on the assumption that what has happened is due to the guilt of some individual and they seek to establish this guilt in what mode?
- The finger is pointed at whom?
- Do the sailors/passengers immediately take action or, instead, what is their approach?
- What would this action imply as to the “moral standards” of this group?
- From their questions would it appear that, at least insofar as Jonah was concerned, an Israelite had no distinguishing marks in appearance and/or in garb — or could one assume that Jonah had concealed his origin?
- Jonah’s term of identification is neither “Israelite” or “Judean” but, rather what?
- Jonah 1:10 indicates that Jonah had told the group that he was “fleeing from God” — where in the text is this “telling” reflected?
- Again, is action immediately taken where Jonah is concerned?
- Would Jonah’s words in Jonah 1:12 indicate a studied fatalism? At the very least, does it indicate a sense
- of his own “importance” or a recognition of the results of disobeying God?
- In Jonah 1:13 what is the reaction of the passengers and the crew? And what does this tell, again, of these people and their moral/ethical posture?
- Moreover, in Jonah 114 the “tefillah” of the group represents a tension between what two considerations?
- Finally, casting Jonah into the sea — what is the result?
- Having noted this result, what action is taken by those who are on the boat in terms of “relationship” to Adonai?
