“The king had a proclamation
Made in Nineveh.
‘By the decree
Of the king
With his nobles.
No human being,
No animal,
No herd,
No flock,
Shall taste anything.
They shall not feed them.
They shall not drink water.
Human beings,
With animals,
Shall be covered
With sackcloth.
They shall cry mightily
To God.
All shall turn
From their evil ways.
They shall turn
From the violence
That is in their hands.
Who knows?
God may yet relent.
God may change
His mind.
He may turn
From his fierce anger.
Thus,
We may not perish.’”
This king of Nineveh sent out a proclamation from the capital city. No humans or animals should eat or drink anything, a total fast. Both the humans and animals should be covered in sackcloth. They all should cry out to God. They were to turn from their evil violent ways. His thought was that maybe God would change his mind about the future destruction of Nineveh. Perhaps God would not be angry with them. Thus, they would not die.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 