[1] Then the LORD spoke his word to Jonah a second time. He said, [2] "Leave at once for the important city, Nineveh. Announce to the people the message I have given you." [3] Jonah immediately went to Nineveh as the LORD told him. Nineveh was a very large city. It took three days to walk through it. [4] Jonah entered the city and walked for about a day. Then he said, "In forty days Nineveh will be destroyed." [5] The people of Nineveh believed God. They decided to fast, and everyone, from the most important to the least important, dressed in sackcloth. [6] When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth, and sat in ashes. [7] Then he made this announcement and sent it throughout the city: "This is an order from the king and his nobles: No one is to eat or drink anything. This includes all people, animals, cattle, and sheep. [8] Every person and animal must put on sackcloth. Cry loudly to God for help. Turn from your wicked ways and your acts of violence. [9] Who knows? God may reconsider his plans and turn from his burning anger so that we won't die." [10] God saw what they did. He saw that they turned from their wicked ways. So God reconsidered his threat to destroy them, and he didn't do it.
