Daniel's Literal Translation and Commentary
The Renewed Covenant by Daniel Gregg
"Jonah 3:4b Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown! (DLT: torahtimes.org).
Yet : עוד. This word indicates that they have as little as forty days. On the other hand, it leaves open the question of how soon after the end of forty days Nineveh will be destroyed. The Hebrew word עד "until" has a similar meaning. It means a least until the point indicated, but further if need be. For instance, "You shall keep it until the 14th day" (Exodus 12:6). A better sense is "You shall keep it as far as the 14th day" leaving it to further revelation to say how much further. All it says is at least this far. Ignorance of this sense has tripped up plenty of an interpreter with little knowledge of Hebrew. The people of Nineveh perceived this possibility. For they said, "Who knows, He may turn, and God may be sorry, and turn away from the glow of His anger, that we do not perish" (Jonah 3:9). They knew that it was a certainty that Nineveh would be destroyed, but they also sensed that the Almighty might delay it for them. So the Jonah 3:10b says, "And God was sorry about the evil that He had threatened to do to them, and did not do it" (cf. דבר. HALOT, "androhen threaten with Ir 18,8"). He did not carry out the implied threat in the time limit given for repentance, but he did destroy Nineveh in BC 612.
comment1: Nineveh is the classical case study of the application of Jeremiah 18:8-10. If the people (הגוי) repents or rebels then the texts say God will "be sorry about the evil which I plan to do to it" (נחמתי) or "I will be sorry about the good which I say to do it" (נחמתי). This says nothing about rescinding the judgment. However, if God has left the timetable open, then he may adjust the timing of the judgment accordingly, advancing it or delaying it. Nevertheless, all of his words come to pass. For it is written, "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" (Num. 23:19). The word נחם is used to mean sorry in the sense of being grieved about something or being grieved about one's own sin. The latter sense is meant in Num. 23:19, and not the former. God can be sorry about something, just not in the sense a man is sorry for his sins.
comment2: In light of the forgoing, the concept of conditional prophecy is a total fiction. God never says anything he does not mean, nor does he change what he has promised to do. The only latitude for adjustment lies in a legitimate interpretation of what God has said. God revealed that he would destroy Nineveh, and revealed that it was "Yet forty days". He only threatened to do it right at the end of forty days, but did not say it would happen right then, leaving room for the city to repent. They did, and he carried his judgment out on a later generation. For God knew that this nation would fall into sin again and that they would not repent later.
comment3: The idea that prophecy can be ultimately conditional and never come to pass was invented for the express purpose of setting the Scripture aside. It is totally destructive of faith and one's view of God's integrity to even suggest such a principle. Yet a remarkable number of people seem to subscribe to it. However, it is not supported by the Bible. And the teaching of Scripture is clear. God will keep all of his promises to Israel in spite of Israel's rebellion, because the Savior will come to Zion and remove ungodliness from Jacob! (DLC: torahtimes.org)
Daniel's Literal Translation and Commentary: (http://www.torahtimes.org/translation/jon0304.html)
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