Original Word: יוֹנָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: yownah
Pronunciation: yo-NAH
Phonetic Spelling: (yo-naw')
KJV: dove, pigeon
NASB: dove, pigeons, doves, dove's, pigeon
Word Origin: [probably from the same as H3196 (יַיִן - wine)]

1. a dove (apparently from the warmth of their mating)

dove, pigeon

Probably from the same as yayin; a dove (apparently from the warmth of their mating) -- dove, pigeon.

see HEBREW yayin

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
dove
NASB Translation
dove (13), dove's (1), doves (8), pigeon (1), pigeons (9).

I. יוֺנָה noun feminine dove (Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic id., ) — absolute יוֺנָה Genesis 8:8 20t.; construct יוֺנֵת Psalm 56:1; suffix יוֺנָתִי Songs 2:14 2t.; plural יוֺנִים Nahum 2:8 6t.; construct יוֺנֵי Ezekiel 7:16 (see below); — dove Genesis 8:8,9,10,11,12 (all J); often of offerings, בֶּןיֿוֺנָה Leviticus 12:6 (P; an individual of the species; "" תֹּר); בְּנֵי (ה)יוֺנִים "" תֹּרִיםׅ Leviticus 1:14; Leviticus 5:7,11; Leviticus 12:8; Leviticus 14:22,30; Leviticus 15:14,29; Numbers 6:10 (all P); חֲרִי יוֺנִים dove's dung 2 Kings 6:25 (Kt, yet see Gei^{Urschrift 409}); in various similes: Ephraim is כְּיוֺנָה מּוֺתָה like a silly dove Hosea 7:11 (allowing itself to be snared); simile of return of exiles, like eager flight of doves Hosea 11:11, of ships with white outspread sails Isaiah 60:8; אֵבֶר כַּיּוֺנָה Psalm 55:7; see also כַּנְפֵי יוֺנָה Psalm 68:14; simile of fugitive Moab Jeremiah 48:28; also כְּיוֺנֵי הַגֵּאָיוֺת Ezekiel 7:16 like the doves of the valleys (but on text see Co, who emends כיונים הוֺגִיּוֺת, but regards phrase as gloss): simile of mourning כְּקוֺל יוֺנִים Nahum 2:8; without קוֺל, הגה כיונים Isaiah 38:14; Isaiah 59:11 (from mournful note); figurative of beauty (only Canticles): עֵינַיִךְ יוֺנִים thine eyes are (those of) doves Songs 1:15; Songs 4:1, see also Songs 4:12; term of endearment, יוֺנָתִי my dove Songs 2:14; Songs 5:2; Songs 6:9. Elsewhere only Psalm 56:1 (title) (עַל) יוֺנַת אֵלֶם רְחֹקִים probably name of melody: To 'the dove of distant terebinths' (read אֵלִים for אֵלֶם; see אֵלֶם above, and Bae^{Psalms, p. xvii}). — On sanctity of dove among Shemites, see RS^{Semitic i. 202, 275}.

Entry: Jonah – יוֹנָה (Strong’s H3123)

Name and Symbolism

The name means “dove,” evoking ideas of gentleness, peace, and sacrificial purity (Genesis 15:9; Leviticus 5:7). Ironically, the prophet’s initial conduct contrasts with these ideals, highlighting God’s power to transform reluctant servants into effective messengers. The dove also links Jonah with themes of new beginnings, as in Noah’s flood narrative where the bird signaled God’s mercy and restoration (Genesis 8:11-12).

Occurrences

The form יוֹנָה appears about thirty-two times in the Hebrew Bible. Outside 2 Kings 14:25, every occurrence is in the four-chapter prophetic book that bears his name, where it alternates between narrative description and divine address.

Historical Setting

2 Kings 14:25 dates Jonah to the reign of Jeroboam II (793-753 BC). Israel was expanding militarily but declining spiritually. Assyria, though in a temporary political lull, remained a brutal threat. The prophet came from Gath-hepher in Zebulun, a Galilean village later noted in John 7:52 when the Pharisees insisted that no prophet arises from Galilee—a statement Scripture itself refutes by Jonah’s example.

The Commission and the Flight

Jonah 1:1-2 records his call: “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it”. Rather than obey, Jonah fled “away from the presence of the LORD” (1:3). The voyage to Tarshish pictures calculated rebellion: he descends to Joppa, then into the ship’s hold, then into deep sleep, and finally beneath the waves—each downward step mirroring his spiritual decline. God pursues him with a raging sea, exposing that no distance can evade divine sovereignty (Psalm 139:7-10).

Judgment, Repentance, and Deliverance

When the sailors hurl Jonah overboard, the LORD “appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah” (1:17). The prophet’s psalm from the depths (chapter 2) mingles distress with confident hope, culminating in, “Salvation comes from the LORD!” (2:9). God answers by commanding the fish to release him, revealing that divine discipline aims at restoration, not destruction (Hebrews 12:6-11).

Revival in Nineveh

The second commission (Jonah 3:1-2) underscores grace—God is willing to reuse a chastened servant. Jonah’s terse message, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh will be overturned!” (3:4), sparks sweeping repentance, from king to cattle. The episode demonstrates that God’s word is effective (Isaiah 55:10-11) and that His compassion extends beyond Israel (Isaiah 49:6).

The Object Lesson of the Plant

Jonah 4 reveals the prophet’s struggle with divine mercy. He confesses that he fled because he knew God is “gracious and compassionate… One who relents from sending disaster” (4:2). The withering plant exposes his misplaced priorities: he pities a vine but not 120,000 image-bearers. Thus Jonah becomes both messenger and mirror, forcing readers to examine their own hearts regarding God’s concern for the nations.

Typology and the “Sign of Jonah”

Jesus elevates Jonah’s experience as a prophetic sign: “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40). The liberated prophet foreshadows the resurrection, while Nineveh’s repentance anticipates the ingathering of Gentiles (Romans 15:9-12). That Christ roots the sign of His death and resurrection in this historical episode affirms both the book’s historicity and its gospel significance.

Key Theological Themes

• God’s universal sovereignty—He commands seas, winds, animals, and nations.
• Mercy balanced with justice—judgment threatened, mercy offered upon repentance.
• The missionary heartbeat of God—“Should I not care about that great city?” (4:11).
• The danger of ethnocentrism—Jonah’s nationalism collides with God’s global purpose.
• Resurrection hope—deliverance “from the pit” (2:6) anticipates salvation through Christ.

Jewish and Christian Reception

In post-exilic Judaism Jonah is read on Yom Kippur as a call to repentance. Early Christians saw in Jonah a symbol of baptism and resurrection (1 Peter 3:20-21). Church Fathers such as Jerome and Augustine drew moral lessons about obedience and divine patience, while Reformers highlighted its missionary implications.

Lessons for Contemporary Ministry

1. Obedience matters more than personal preference; flight from God’s call invites discipline.
2. God can use flawed servants once broken pride gives way to submission.
3. Proclamation of judgment is an act of love when it offers a path to mercy.
4. National or cultural prejudices must yield to the gospel’s reach.
5. Revival is possible even among the most unlikely peoples when God’s Spirit works through His word.

Conclusion

Jonah stands as a living parable. His account validates the prophetic word, foreshadows the triumph of Christ, and challenges every generation of believers to join God’s mission with hearts that reflect His compassion for a perishing world.

הַיּוֹנָ֑ה הַיּוֹנָ֔ה הַיּוֹנָ֖ה הַיּוֹנָ֨ה הַיּוֹנָה֙ היונה וְכַיּוֹנִ֖ים וּכְיוֹנָ֖ה וכיונה וכיונים י֬וֹנַת י֭וֹנָה יוֹנִ֔ים יוֹנִֽים׃ יוֹנָ֑ה יוֹנָ֔ה יוֹנָ֖ה יוֹנָ֥ה יוֹנָה֒ יוֹנָתִ֞י יוֹנָתִ֣י יונה יונים יונים׃ יונת יונתי כְּיוֹנִ֖ים כְּיוֹנֵ֧י כְּיוֹנָ֥ה כְיוֹנָ֔ה כַּיּוֹנָ֑ה כַּיּוֹנָ֗ה כיונה כיוני כיונים cheyoNah haiyoNah hay·yō·w·nāh hayyōwnāh kaiyoNah kay·yō·w·nāh kayyōwnāh kə·yō·w·nāh ḵə·yō·w·nāh kə·yō·w·nê kə·yō·w·nîm keyoNah keyoNei keyoNim kəyōwnāh ḵəyōwnāh kəyōwnê kəyōwnîm ū·ḵə·yō·w·nāh ucheyoNah ūḵəyōwnāh vechaiyoNim wə·ḵay·yō·w·nîm wəḵayyōwnîm yō·w·nā·ṯî yō·w·nāh yō·w·naṯ yō·w·nîm yoNah Yonat yonaTi yoNim yōwnāh yōwnaṯ yōwnāṯî yōwnîmInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts