Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah - a second time ... :
“ Get up ! Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it - the message that I give you. ”
This time Jonah - got up and went to Nineveh , in accordance with the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city , (requiring) a three-day ... journey.
On the first day of his journey , Jonah - ... set out into the city and proclaimed ... , “ Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned ! ”
vvv And the Ninevites believed God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth , from the greatest of them to the least.
When word ... reached the king of Nineveh , he got up from his throne , took off his royal robe , covered (himself) with sackcloth , and sat ... in ashes.
Then he issued a proclamation ... in Nineveh : “ By the decree of the king and his nobles ... : Let no man or beast , herd or flock , taste anything at all. They must not eat or drink .... ...
Furthermore, let both man and beast be covered with sackcloth , and have everyone call out earnestly to God. Let each one turn from his evil ways and from the violence - in his hands.
Who knows ? God may turn and relent ; He may turn from His fierce anger , so that we will not perish. ”
When God - saw their actions — that they had turned from their evil ways — (He) relented from the disaster - He had threatened to bring - -.