JONAH: An Earth Bible Commentary

Description

Jione Havea looks at the book of Jonah through the lens of climate change, using this present situation to reconsider the significance of Jonah for contemporary struggles and contexts, and tapping into traditional practices of commentary to draw out the meaning of the biblical text. Havea takes Jonah 3:10 as a starting point, in which God repents and rethinks (decides not to destroy), taking this as a challenge and an opportunity for biblical scholars to reflect on the realities of climate change. Havea builds on this opportunity in two ways: first, by reading Jonah forward, giving special attention to the orientation of the narrative toward the sea and Nineveh, and then backward, highlighting the significance of sea and (is)land lives to the flow of the narrative. Second, by looking at the other figures in the narrative, rather than focusing on the narrator’s obsession with Jonah and his God. Havea reminds readers that the fish, plant, worm and other beasts are also crucial in this narrative and considers how this can change our reading of the text Title Page Copyright Page Contents Figures Preface Acknowledgement Chapter 1: Commentary Flows Hermeneutical rip Contexts matter Flowing both ways A mat for Jonah? Part 1: Flowing Forward Chapter 2: Flow into the Sea (Jon. 1.1–2.10) Jon. 1.1-3 Jon. 1.4-16 Jon. 1.17–2.10 Words that move Out of the sea Chapter 3: Flow into Nineveh (Jon. 2.10–4.11) Jon. 2.10–3.4 Jon. 3.5-9 Jon. 3.10 Jon. 4.1-4 Jon. 4.5-11 Out of Nineveh Part 2: Flowing Backward Chapter 4: Beasts that Mattered (Jon. 4.10-11) Earth’s b’hemah Yhwh Behemoth #b’hemah The ends Chapter 5: A Bush that Moved (Jon. 4.1-9) Among those who exalt Ancestors and children in the bush From the bush to Nineveh Chapter 6: A City that Believed (Jon. 3.1-10) Compassion and repentance Seriously Believing in Nineveh Chapter 7: A Fish that Vomited (Jon. 1.17–2.10) Fish matters Among those who swallow and vomit (Jon. 1.17–2.1 and Jon. 2.10) Among those who pay up (Jon. 2.7-9) Among those who are brought up (Jon. 2.2-6) Dead fish Chapter 8: A Boat that Thought (Jon. 1.4-16) Among those that think Among those who are laden Among those who are abandoned A sanctuary in motion Chapter 9: A Flight that Continues (Jon. 1.1-3) Tarshish or bust Among the messengers Invitations A Postscript Preparation Plotting Passing Privileging References Scriptural Characters Index Scriptural Reference Index