Jonah Through the Centuries

A meticulous exploration of the reception history of Jonah in all its facets

Jonah through the Centuries is a systematic examination of the reception history of the book of Jonah, long-recognized for its numerous theological implications and diverse interpretations. The first book of its kind written in English, this singular volume provides a lucid and coherent commentary on the most influential re-readings of Jonah in Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and secular traditions. Author Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer progresses slowly through the book of Jonah verse-by-verse—even word-by-word through key verses such as Jonah 1:1 and 2:1—to offer readers deep insight into the many and multifaceted interpretations of Jonah from early Jewish readings to modern literary retellings.

Structured thematically rather than strictly chronologically, the text begins with the earliest interpretation and follows its trendline all the way through to modern times before turning to the next-oldest interpretation. The commentary covers a broad range of retellings in many languages and in various media including commentaries, sermons, prose, poetry, theatrical drama, art, and music. Throughout the text, the author demonstrates how all these retellings ultimately originate within the biblical text itself and highlights how many of the interpretations are fueled and influenced by the interpreter's religious background, cultural assumptions, and their preconceived notions of what the text should say.

• Discusses how retellings of Jonah ultimately originate within the text's theological or literary ambiguities, choice of words, or syntactical construction
• Explains how cross-cultural interchanges between Jews, Christians, and Muslims at different points throughout the centuries influenced the reception of Jonah
• Highlights how several retellings form clusters according to the interpreters' religious affiliations
• Covers various interpretations of both often-cited and lesser-known verses from the book of Jonah
• Interacts with an international range of literary retellings of the book of Jonah, offered in English translation

Jonah through the Centuries is an invaluable resource for educated clergy, undergraduate and graduate students in both seminaries and universities, scholars and academics, and general readers with interest in the reception of biblical texts in literature, art, and music.

Author’s Preface vii

Introduction 1

Jonah 1 12

Jonah 2 88

Jonah 3 163

Jonah 4 203

Conclusion 244

Biography 249

Bibliography 252

Index of Biblical Texts 279

General Index 286

Index of Authors 290

“For scholars of the book of Jonah, the commentary is a thoroughly enjoyable, and, indeed, heartening read…Tiemeyer has succeeded in drawing together an extensive and fascinating range of interpretations of Jonah in a manner that allows deeper exploration for anyone studying the book today.” - Journal of Theological Studies, Volume 74, Issue 2, October 2023, Pages 760–762

“Reflecting on the value of Jonah Through the Centuries, it will be apparent to any reader just how remarkable it is that so many interpretative possibilities can be found in such a short and deceptively simple book.” – Biblical Notes, 2024, Nr. 201

Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer is Professor in Old Testament at Örebro School of Theology, Sweden. She has published widely, including Priestly Rites and Prophetic Rage, For the Comfort of Zion, and Zechariah and His Visions. Most recently, she has co-edited The Book of the Twelve: Composition, Reception, and Interpretation and The Oxford Handbook of Isaiah.

Jonah through the Centuries is a systematic examination of the reception history of the book of Jonah, long-recognized for its numerous theological implications and diverse interpretations. The first book of its kind written in English, this singular volume provides a lucid and coherent commentary on the most influential re-readings of Jonah in Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and secular traditions. Author Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer progresses slowly through the book of Jonah verse-by-verse—even word-by-word through key verses such as Jonah 1:1 and 2:1—to offer readers deep insight into the many and multifaceted interpretations of Jonah from early Jewish readings to modern literary retellings.

Structured thematically rather than strictly chronologically, the text begins with the earliest interpretation and follows its trendline all the way through to modern times before turning to the next-oldest interpretation. The commentary covers a broad range of retellings in many languages and in various media including commentaries, sermons, prose, poetry, theatrical drama, art, and music, and analyses interpretations of both often-cited and lesser-known verses from the book of Jonah, interacting with an international range of literary retellings of the book of Jonah, offered in English translation. Throughout the text, the author demonstrates how all these retellings ultimately originate within the biblical text itself and highlights how many of the interpretations are fuelled and influenced by the interpreter’s religious background, cultural assumptions, and their preconceived notions of what the text should say.

Jonah through the Centuries is an invaluable resource for educated clergy, undergraduate and graduate students in both seminaries and universities, scholars and academics, and general readers with interest in the reception of biblical texts in literature, art, and music.