King James Version

Jonah 3:9

Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

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Hebrew

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מִֽיmiwhoמִיparticle, interrogative — “who”H4310who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffixany (man), [idiom] he, [idiom] him, [phrase] O that! what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), [phrase] would to God.יוֹדֵ֣עַyodeaknowיָדַעverb, qal, participle, absolute — “know”, a verb used as a describing wordH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…יָשׁ֔וּבyashuvagainשׁוּבverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “again”, an unfinished actionH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…וְנִחַ֖םvenichamand comfortנָחַםconjunction, verb, niphal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and comfort”, a completed action in a sequenceH5162properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself)comfort (self), ease (one's self), repent(-er,-ing, self).הָאֱלֹהִ֑יםhaelohimthe Godאֱלֹהִיםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the God”, the ordinary formH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.וְשָׁ֛בveshavand againשׁוּבconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and again”, a completed action in a sequenceH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…מֵחֲר֥וֹןmecharonfrom sore displeasureחָרוֹןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “from sore displeasure”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2740a burning of angersore displeasure, fierce(-ness), fury, (fierce) wrath(-ful).אַפּ֖וֹapvofaceאַףnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “face”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH639properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ireanger(-gry), [phrase] before, countenance, face, [phrase] forebearing, forehead, [phrase] (long-) suffering, nose, nostril, snout, [idiom] worthy, wrath.וְלֹ֥אveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…נֹאבֵֽדnoveddestroyאָבַדverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, plural — “destroy”, an unfinished actionH6properly, to wander away, i.e. lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy)break, destroy(-uction), [phrase] not escape, fail, lose, (cause to, make) perish, spend, [idiom] and surely, take, be undone, [idiom] utterly, be void of, have no way to flee.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Who knoweth whether God will not turn and repent, and turn away from His fierce anger, that we perish not?'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Who knoweth whether God will not turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

Young’s Literal Translation

Who knoweth? He doth turn back, and God hath repented, and hath turned back from the heat of His anger, and we do not perish.'

World English Bible

Who knows whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?”

Darby Translation

Who knoweth but that God will turn and repent, and will turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

Douay-Rheims

Who can tell if God will turn, and forgive: and will turn away from his fierce anger, and we shall not perish?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Who knoweth whether God will not turn and repent, and turn away from His fierce anger, that we perish not?'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Who knows if God will repent, and turn from his fierce anger, and so we shall not perish?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

τίς οἶδεν εἰ μετανοήσει ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ἀποστρέψει ἐξ ὀργῆς θυμοῦ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀπολώμεθα;