The Ninevites were the inhabitants of Nineveh, the ancient capital of the Assyrian Empire. Located on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, in what is now modern-day Mosul, Iraq, Nineveh was one of the most prominent cities of the ancient world. The city is first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 10:11, where it is noted as being founded by Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.

Nineveh's significance in the biblical narrative is most prominently featured in the Book of Jonah. God commanded the prophet Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach against its wickedness, as stated in Jonah 1:2: "Arise, go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before Me." Initially, Jonah resisted God's call, attempting to flee to Tarshish instead. However, after a series of divine interventions, including being swallowed by a great fish, Jonah eventually obeyed and went to Nineveh.

Upon Jonah's arrival, he proclaimed God's impending judgment, declaring, "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned" (Jonah 3:4). Remarkably, the Ninevites believed God, and from the greatest to the least, they repented. The king of Nineveh himself rose from his throne, removed his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. He issued a decree for a citywide fast, urging everyone to call urgently on God and turn from their evil ways and violence (Jonah 3:5-8).

God saw their repentance and relented from the disaster He had threatened, sparing the city from destruction (Jonah 3:10). This act of divine mercy highlights God's compassion and willingness to forgive those who turn from their sins, regardless of their past.

The Ninevites are also mentioned in the New Testament. Jesus refers to them in Matthew 12:41 and Luke 11:32, stating, "The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here." This reference underscores the Ninevites' genuine repentance and serves as a rebuke to those who witnessed Jesus' ministry yet remained unrepentant.

Despite their temporary repentance, the Ninevites' return to wickedness eventually led to their downfall. The prophet Nahum prophesied the destruction of Nineveh, describing it as a city of bloodshed, full of lies and plunder (Nahum 3:1). In 612 BC, the city was indeed destroyed by a coalition of Babylonians, Medes, and Scythians, fulfilling Nahum's prophecy.

The account of the Ninevites serves as a powerful testament to God's justice and mercy. It illustrates the importance of repentance and the potential for redemption, even for those who have strayed far from righteousness.Ninevites

the inhabitants of Nineveh. (Luke 11:30)

NINEVITES

nin'-e-vits (Nineu(e)itai): Only in Luke 11:30. The parallel passage (Matthew 12:41), with Luke 11:32, has the fuller form, "men of Nineveh," which gives the meaning.

3536. Nineuites -- a Ninevite, an inhabitant of Ninevah
... Word Origin from Nineui Definition a Ninevite, an inhab. of Ninevah NASB
Word Usage Nineveh (2), Ninevites (1). of Nineve, Ninevite. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3536.htm - 6k

The Remarkable Faith of the Ninevites is Related to have Been ...
... The Sacred History Of Sulpitius Severus. Book I. Chapter XLVIII. The remarkable
faith of the Ninevites is related to have been manifested about these times.? ...
/.../life and writings of sulpitius severus /chapter xlviii the remarkable faith.htm

Instances of God's Repentance, and Notably in the Case of the ...
... God. Chapter XXIV."Instances of God's Repentance, and Notably in the Case
of the Ninevites, Accounted for and Vindicated. Furthermore ...
/.../the five books against marcion/chapter xxiv instances of gods repentance.htm

How the Threat of the Destruction of the Ninevites is to be ...
... Chapter 44."How the Threat of the Destruction of the Ninevites is to Be Understood
Which in the Hebrew Extends to Forty Days, While in the Septuagint It is ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 44 how the threat of.htm

The Historicity of the Book of Jonah.
... critics. Again, they interpose the difficulty: "How could the Ninevites
give credence to a man who was not a servant of Ashur?". ...
/.../viii the historicity of the.htm

Threefold Repentance
... The evident intention of the narrative is to parallel the Ninevites turning from
their sins, and God's turning from His anger and purpose of destruction; and ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/threefold repentance.htm

Matt. xix. 27
... before mentioned, saying in this way: Though I should threaten, do not despair;
for thou art able to repent, and to reverse the denunciation, like the Ninevites ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily lxiv matt xix 27.htm

Nineveh.
... The Ninevites had numerous idols, but their honour for the Lord had not quite faded
away; and about the year 830, about the time of Amaziah in Judah, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson ix nineveh.htm

Of the Question as to the Manner of Matthew's Agreement with Luke ...
... Luke in the Accounts Which are Given of the Lord's Reply to Certain Persons Who
Sought a Sign, When He Spoke of Jonas the Prophet, and of the Ninevites, and of ...
/.../augustine/the harmony of the gospels/chapter xxxix of the question as.htm

Questions.
... 3. What prophet was sent to warn the Ninevites? 4. How did the Ninevites receive
the message? ... 8. What victories did the Ninevites gain? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/questions.htm

"Nineveh, that Great City"
... full of lies and robbery." In figurative language the prophet Nahum
compared the Ninevites to a cruel, ravenous lion. "Upon ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 22 nineveh that great.htm

Ninevites (2 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia NINEVITES. nin'-e-vits (Nineu(e)itai): Only in
Luke 11:30. ... Multi-Version Concordance Ninevites (2 Occurrences). ...
/n/ninevites.htm - 7k

Nin'eveh (18 Occurrences)
Nin'eveh. Nineveh, Nin'eveh. Ninevites . ... (See RSV). Luke 11:30 for as Jonah
became a sign to the Ninevites, so also shall the Son of Man be to this generation ...
/n/nin'eveh.htm - 10k

Jonah (30 Occurrences)
... the second commission given to him, and his prompt obedience in delivering the message
from God, and its results in the repentance of the Ninevites, and God's ...
/j/jonah.htm - 35k

Ninth (35 Occurrences)

/n/ninth.htm - 18k

Jonas (11 Occurrences)
... prophet. (KJV DBY). Luke 11:30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so
shall also the Son of man be to this generation. (KJV DBY). ...
/j/jonas.htm - 12k

Mourn (87 Occurrences)
... (2.) For calamities, Job (1:20, 21; 2:8); Israel (Exodus 33:4); the Ninevites (Jonah
3:5); Israel, when defeated by Benjamin (Judges 20:26), etc. ...
/m/mourn.htm - 38k

Selfsurrender
... messenger to a rebellious house (Ezekiel 2:1-3:3). Jonah, after flight from duty,
at last surrenders to the divine will and goes to the Ninevites (Jonah 3:3). 4 ...
/s/selfsurrender.htm - 17k

Self-surrender
... messenger to a rebellious house (Ezekiel 2:1-3:3). Jonah, after flight from duty,
at last surrenders to the divine will and goes to the Ninevites (Jonah 3:3). 4 ...
/s/self-surrender.htm - 17k

Sheba (36 Occurrences)
... He tells them that no sign will be given them except that of Jonah, whose sign was
his preaching, one that proved sufficient to the Ninevites; and `behold ...
/s/sheba.htm - 32k

Generation (150 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Luke 11:30 For even as Jonah became
a sign to the Ninevites, so will also the Son of Man be to this generation. ...
/g/generation.htm - 44k

Why was Jonah angry that the Ninevites repented (Jonah 4:1-2)? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Jonah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What does Jonah 4:11 mean by people who cannot tell their right hand from their left? | GotQuestions.org

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