the old testament book of jonah, contains four chapters, and forty-eight verses. the book tells the story of the prophet jonah, who was called by god to go to the heathen city of nineveh, which god would soon destroy if they did not repent. nineveh was the main city of the assyrians who were the enemies of jonah's country of israel. so instead, jonah ran away from god and went in a ship towards the west. god sent a great storm and the ship was about to sink. god showed the sailors that jonah was to blame, and although they didn't want to, they threw him out of the ship and the storm stopped. jonah was swallowed by a great fish (probably a whale). he repented of his sin of running away from god. then he prayed for three days and nights. god made the great fish spit jonah onto the dry land. then he obeyed god and went to tell the people of their sins to god.