<P> The Book of Jonah is a book of the Nevi'im ("Prophets") in the Hebrew Bible . It tells of a Hebrew prophet named Jonah son of Amittai who is sent by God to prophesy the destruction of Nineveh but tries to escape the divine mission . Set in the reign of Jeroboam II (786--746 BC), it was probably written in the post-exilic period, some time between the late 5th to early 4th century BC . The story has a long interpretive history and has become well - known through popular children's stories . In Judaism it is the Haftarah, read during the afternoon of Yom Kippur to instill reflection on God's willingness to forgive those who repent; it remains a popular story among Christians . It is also retold in the Quran . </P> <P> Unlike the other Prophets, the book of Jonah is almost entirely narrative, with the exception of the poem in chapter 2 . The actual prophetic word against Nineveh is given only in passing through the narrative . As with any good narrative, the story of Jonah has a setting, characters, a plot, and themes . It also relies heavily on such literary devices as irony . </P>

The story of jonah in the bible kjv