SOURCE: Kahn, Paul. “An Analysis of the Book of Jonah.” Judaism 43, no. 1 (Winter 1994): 87-100.

In the following essay, Kahn examines Jonah's structure, symbolism, and imagery.

The Book of Jonah is unique in both form and content. It is one of the smallest books of the Prophets, and it conveys its message through the medium of a story. Rarely does it fail to captivate its reader, while at the same time it poses a variety of striking questions of theme and narrative. Indeed, to the thoughtful reader, the Book of Jonah is one of the most enigmatic writings of the Prophets. Jonah is a rebellious prophet. Why? In view of his rebelliousness, why does God continue to call upon him after his attempt to flee, and then reason with him about His forgiveness of a repentant population? The earlier, remarkable repentance of the ship's sailors is matched by...