Kwidolophu yaseAsiriya iNineve, abantu babesenza izinto ezimbi. UYehova waxelela umprofeti uYona ukuba aye khona aze abaxelele ukuba bamele baguquke. Kodwa uYona wabaleka waya kwenye indawo. Wakhwela inqanawa eya eTarshishe.

Ngoxa inqanawa iphakathi elwandle, kwafika isaqhwithi yaye oomatiloshe babesoyika. Bathandaza koothixo babo besithi: ‘Kwenzeka ntoni?’ Ekugqibeleni, uYona wathi: ‘Ingxaki ndim. Ndibaleka into endiyithunywe nguYehova. Ndiphoseni elwandle, isaqhwithi siza kuyeka.’ Oomatiloshe abazange bafune ukumphosa, kodwa wanyanzelisa. Xa bamphosayo, isaqhwithi sayeka.

UYona wayecinga ukuba uza kufa. Njengoko esiya etshona elwandle, wathandaza kuYehova. UYehova wathumela intlanzi enkulu. Yamginya, kodwa akazange afe. Esesiswini sentlanzi, wathandaza wathi: ‘Ndithembisa ukukuthobela ngalo lonke ixesha.’ UYehova wamgcina iintsuku ezintathu esiswini sentlanzi ibe emva koko wayenza yamtyekeza kumhlaba owomileyo.

Ekubeni uYona wayesindiswe nguYehova, ngaba wayengazukuba saya eNineve? Wayeza kuya. UYehova waphinda wamxelela ukuba aye. Ngoku, wathobela. Waya  kuxelela abo bantu babesenza izinto ezimbi esithi: ‘Kwiintsuku eziyi-40 ezizayo, iNineve iza kutshatyalaliswa.’ Kwenzeka into engalindelekanga, abantu bamamela baza batshintsha iindlela zabo. Ukumkani waseNineve wathi kubo: ‘Bizani kuThixo, niguquke. Mhlawumbi akazukusitshabalalisa.’ Akubona ukuba abantu baguqukile, uYehova akazange abatshabalalise.

Yamcaphukisa loo nto uYona. Khawufan’ ucinge: UYehova waba nomonde nenceba kuYona, kodwa yena uYona akazange abe nenceba kubantu baseNineve. Endaweni yoko, waya kuhlala ngaphandle kwedolophu phantsi komthi womhlavuthwa, waqumba. Loo mthi wabuna, wacaphuka uYona. Ngoko uYehova wathi: ‘Kuwe kubhetele lo mthi ngaphezu kwabantu baseNineve. Khangela, ndibe nomonde kubo, baza basinda.’ Sisiphi isifundo? Abantu baseNineve babebaluleke ngaphezu kwaso nasiphi na isityalo.