Jonah 3:10 (WEB)

Passage

God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. God relented of the disaster which he said he would do to them, and he didn’t do it.

Nearby Context

Jonah 3:8 but let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and animal, and let them cry mightily to God. Yes, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in his hands.

Jonah 3:9 Who knows whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?”

Jonah 3:10 God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. God relented of the disaster which he said he would do to them, and he didn’t do it.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "works", "turned", "evil", "relented", "disaster", "said", and "didn". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "works" and "turned", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The prior verse says "Who knows whether God will not turn...", giving immediate footing for "works" and "turned". In Jonah context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "works" and "turned" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.