Abantu basedolobheni okuthiwa yiNineve elalise-Asiriya babelesihluku njalo besenza izinto ezimbi. UJehova watshela uJona ukuthi aye eNineve ayebatshela ukuthi bantshintshe indlela abaphila ngayo. Kodwa uJona wabaleka wagada isikepe esiya eThashishi.

Kwathi isikepe sesiphakathi elwandle, kwaba lomoya omkhulu futhi abantu ababesesikepeni baqalisa ukwesaba. Bakhuleka kubonkulunkulu babo bebuza besithi: ‘Kwenzakalani?’ UJona wacina esithi kubo: ‘Yimi engilecala. Ngiyabaleka ngoba kangifuni ukwenza lokho uJehova athe ngikwenze. Ngiphoselani elwandle ukuze umoya lo ume.’ Abantu ababesesikepeni babengafuni kodwa yena wayelokhu ebatshela ukuthi bamphosele. Bathi sebemphoselile, umoya wama.

UJona wayecabanga ukuthi uzakufa. Wathi elokhu etshona emanzini, wakhuleka kuJehova. UJehova wasethuma inhlanzi enkulu yafika yamginya uJona kodwa kayimbulalanga. Esesiswini senhlanzi wakhuleka wathi: ‘Ngiyathembisa ukuthi ngizahlala ngikulalela.’ UJehova wamvikela okwamalanga amathathu esesiswini senhlanzi futhi wenza ukuthi inhlanzi imkhafulele enhlabathini ewomileyo.

Njengoba uJehova wayesemsindisile uJona, kwasekusitsho ukuthi angasahambi eNineve yini? Hatshi. UJehova wamtshela  ukuthi aye eNineve. UJona wahamba eNineve wafika watshela abantu labo wathi: ‘INineve izabhujiswa ngemva kwamalanga angu-40.’ Abantu baseNineve balalela bayekela ukwenza okubi. Inkosi yaseNineve yatshela abantu yathi: ‘Khonzani uNkulunkulu futhi litshiye okubi. Engxenye angayekela ukusibhubhisa.’ UJehova wathi ebona ukuthi abantu basebentshintshile, wahle wayekela ukubabhubhisa.

UJona kwamzondisa kakhulu ukuthi abantu beNineve kabasabhujiswanga. Ake ucabange: UJehova wayembekezelele uJona futhi wamzwela, kodwa uJona wayengafuni ukuzwela abantu baseNineve. Wahamba wayahlala phandle kwedolobho emthunzini wesihlahla sevini ehwaqile. Ivini lelo lawoma, uJona wazonda kakhulu. Yikho uJehova wathi: ‘Ulendaba lesihlahla lesi kodwa kawulandaba labantu beNineve. Ngibatshengise isihawu ngayekela ukubabhubhisa.’ UJehova wayemfundisani uJona? Wayemfundisa ukuthi abantu beNineve babeqakatheke ukwedlula ivini.