The monitor’s screen of my computer hovered in front of me. I looked at it lugubriously. Somehow, I did not know where to start. Although the Book of Jonah comprises only four chapters, it gives rise to quite a few conceptual issues. These are discussed thoroughly and in detail by Jack M. Sasson’s Jonah (Yale Univ. Press, New Haven & London, 2010). But I knew that very few readers would have the patience to read this treatise from cover to cover. Most people would skim through the original or simply rely on the mention of Jonah by a pastor or other religious exponent. A need for a simplified topical treatment was desirable. The difficulty was that any treatment of the subject would look pale and shallow in comparison with this leading tome.
I was about to switch off my computer and give up my attempt to deal with the subject, when Theophil appeared, seated next to me. As often before, he assumed the friendly guise of my late friend Peppi (into whose London antiques shop I stumbled many years ago) – not the form known to humanity, that is, the image of Satan or the Archfiend as familiar to the leading monotheistic religions and treated as fiend by believers. To me, though, he had shown kindness and consideration. For years, I have come to regard him a friend.
“What brings you here, Maestro?” I wanted to know.
“Your decision to give a miss to an analysis of the Book of Jonah [‘Jonah’]. A declaration of defeat is, in my opinion, premature. I decided to reveal myself to encourage you to persevere. You had many struggles during your long life and, in the ultimate, came out victorious.”
“With your help, Maestro. Religious sages are entitled to take their negative view of you. I feel free to differ.”
“I am touched,” he replied. “But the simple truth is that I have nudged you, and many others, when I concluded that it was time to do so. The final act was carried out by the person nudged.”
“But don’t you think that my notion of tackling Jonah is misguided? How on earth can I compete with Sasson’s tome?”
“You can’t, Peter’le. He had the luxury of spending years on this book in the course of his employment. And he had tools unavailable to you. But, as you have already realised, his encyclopaedic analysis has remained a closed book to people not engaged in the field. A relatively short discussion of Jonah written for the benefit of ordinary readers has remained topical. Why not give it a try?”
“But even a concise article requires references. And I am too old and tired to start composing footnotes. Worse still, Sasson’s book includes a detailed bibliography of works dealing with Jonah. I don’t have the time, or even the wish, to read all of them.”
“If you decided to write an article, you would have to familiarise yourself with all major writings. You did so when you dealt with legal topics during your academic career. As a retiree, this type of work is best avoided. But then, why not use another form of writing?”
“Such as?” I asked bewildered.
“A discussion with another interested, non-professional, party: a dialogue. Such a form will enable you to cover the essential issues. You could use a less formal tone and simply concentrate on points you consider crucial.”
“But how to find such a counterparty: an open-minded person, who would be willing to discuss the relevant issues without assuming a preconceived dogmatic stand? A Rabbi or a professional historian would, I believe, fall into this group. And a lay person may not be prepared to make the effort.”
“It may, indeed, be difficult to find an acceptable human counterparty. Still, I like to please my friends.”
“Would you really come to my aid in such a manner? And how about your general unwillingness to disclose secret information commanded by you?”
“You are, of course right, Peter’le. I have authentic knowledge concerning the writing of Jonah. This information will have to remain out of bounds. But I can weigh your arguments and assess them and your insights.”
“That is good of you, Maestro. Well, when can we start?”
“Right away, Peter’le. Let us begin by spelling out the aspects to be covered by you.”
“These can be summarised neatly. First and foremost, I want to discuss the message of the book. Jonah is sandwiched amongst other prophets in a tome entitled ‘The Minor Prophets’. The message of the other prophets is clear: they prophecy or, in other words, predict the future events of the Israelites or other nations. Most of them ask the people to repent. Others foretell the disaster or the punishment to be meted out to the sinful. Jonah is, in my opinion, a parable with a message based on the events discussed in the four chapters of this succinct book.”
“Hold on for a moment, Peter’le. It seems to me that prior to concentrating on the message of the book you have to spell out the narrative. Many people think of it as the story of the chap swallowed by a whale or large fish. You need to set the record straight. Also, there is a preliminary point. Sasson and others have debated at length whether the text that has come down to us is the original, or a version revised many times by different hands. Further, some argue that parts of the text, especially chapter 2, are late additions.”
“The discussion of the narrative is, of course, essential. As regards the preliminary point, the answer is simple and straightforward. We deal solely with the text available to us. Whether this has gone through different editorial processes over generations is the domain of professional commentators. Our orientation differs. We know that passages of Jonah were discovered amongst the Dead Sea Scrolls. Moreover, the finds include a scroll of the Minor Prophets, which confirms that Jonah was already included. On this basis we can conclude that Jonah was known during the first century BCE. This book, as is, is our topic. We may refer to translations of the book as an aid to ascertain the meaning of a passage or sentence of the Hebrew text. But I see no need to deal exclusively with such works.”
“Well spoken,” confirmed Theophil. “For the ordinary man of our times, versions other than the work we possess are irrelevant. What he needs to understand is the text read out in religious functions. This comprises the four chapters set out in the Old Testament.”
“So, we have to spell out the narrative. This is our first point. The second is an elaboration of the message or messages implicit in the book.”
“Hold on,” stepped in Theophil. “This enquiry is bound to entail a consideration of the relevant background.”
“Should our second point be a discussion of the time and place of the composition of the work?”
“I think so, Peter’le. The message of any tome must take into consideration the environment or social circumstances prevailing when a book was composed. For instance, would you not have to discuss European society of the early 20th century prior to analysing the works of Kafka or of Erich Maria Remarque?”
“Point taken,” I agreed readily. “It follows that our second enquiry is of a historical nature. We must consider the nature of the society which the writer had in mind and whose members were meant to be his audience. Accordingly, our order is: (i) Jonah’s narrative, (ii) its background (covering the time and place of its composition) and (iii) the message or messages. This leads us to our last and final point: (iv) what does the book stand for in our own period.”
“Agreed,” affirmed Theophil, with a warm smile spreading over his face. “Well, let us start. You will, of course, have to cite passages of Jonah. The original is in Hebrew, but you are writing in English. Which translation will you use?”
“The standard set out in the Koren publication. It is neutral.”