JONAH, or the Prophecy of Jonah, a canonical book of the Old Testament, in which it is related, that Jonah, about 771 before Christ, was ordered to go and prophecy the destruction of Nineveh, on account of the wickedness of its inhabitants. But the prophet, instead of obeying the divine command, embarked for Tarshish, when, a tempest arising, the mariners threw him into the sea. He was swallowed by a great fish, and after being three days and nights in its belly, was cast upon the land. The prophet, sensible of his past danger and surprising deliverance, now betook himself to the journey and embassy to which he was appointed; and arriving at Nineveh, the metropolis of Assyria, he, according to his commission, boldly laid open the sins of the Ninevites, and proclaimed their sudden overthrow; upon which the whole city, by prayer, fasting, and speedy repentance, happily averted the divine vengeance, and escaped the threatened ruin. Upon this, Jonah, fearing that he would pass for a false prophet, retired to a hill at some distance from the city, where God, by a miracle, condescended to show him the unreasonableness of his discontent.