Editing Jonah (section)

===Historicity===
[[File:Jonah and the sea monster, from Wilpert, 1903, page 47 sharpened.jpg|thumb|350px|Jonah and the sea monster, from Christian artwork in Roman catacombs at the end of 2nd century A.D. From right to left: Johah jumps off the ship, where a sea monster waits; he is eaten (or spit out) by that sea monster; Johah rests on the beach after release from the monster's belly. The sea monster drawn by the Roman Christians resembles a [[Hippocampus (mythology)|hippocampus]]. ]]
Many [[Biblical criticism|Biblical scholars]] hold that the contents of the [[Book of Jonah]] are ahistorical.{{sfn|Kripke|1980|page=67}}{{sfn|Ingram|2012|page=140}}{{sfn|Levine|2000|pages=71–72}} Although the prophet Jonah allegedly lived in the eighth century BCE,{{sfn|Levine|2000|page=71}} the Book of Jonah was written centuries later during the time of the [[Achaemenid Empire]].{{sfn|Levine|2000|page=71}}{{sfn|Ben Zvi|2003|pages=15–16}} The [[Biblical Hebrew|Hebrew]] used in the Book of Jonah shows strong influences from [[Aramaic language|Aramaic]]{{sfn|Levine|2000|page=71}} and the cultural practices described in it match those of the Achaemenid Persians.{{sfn|Levine|2000|page=71}}{{sfn|Gaines|2003|page=25}} Some scholars regard the Book of Jonah as an intentional work of [[parody]] or [[satire]].{{sfn|Band|2003|pages=105–107}}{{sfn|Ben Zvi|2003|pages=18–19}}{{sfn|Ingram|2012|pages=140–142}}{{sfn|McKenzie|Graham|1998|page=113}}{{sfn|Person|1996|page=155}}{{sfn|Gaines|2003|pages=22–23}} If this is the case, then it was probably admitted into the canon of the [[Hebrew Bible]] by sages who misunderstood its satirical nature{{sfn|Band|2003|pages=106–107}}{{sfn|Person|1996|page=155}}{{sfn|Gaines|2003|pages=22–23}} and mistakenly interpreted it as a serious prophetic work.{{sfn|Band|2003|pages=106–107}}{{sfn|Person|1996|page=155}}{{sfn|Gaines|2003|pages=22–23}}

Jonah himself may have been a historical prophet;{{sfn|Kripke|1980|pages=67–68}} he is briefly mentioned in the [[Books of Kings|Second Book of Kings]]:{{sfn|Doyle|2005|page=124}}{{sfn|Kripke|1980|page=67}}
{{blockquote|He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of [[Hama]]th unto the sea of the [[Arabah]], according to the word of the [[Yahweh|LORD]], the [[National god|God of Israel]], which He spoke by the hand of His servant Jonah the son of [[Amittai]], the prophet, who was of [[Gath-hepher]].|2 Kings<ref>{{bibleverse|2 Kings|14:25|HE}}, JPS (1917)</ref>}}

In a lecture delivered in 1978 and published in 1979, Assyriologist [[Donald Wiseman]] defended the plausibility of many aspects of the story, supporting "the tradition that many features in the narrative exhibit an intimate and accurate knowledge of Assyria which could stem from an historical event as early as the eighth century B.C.", concluding that "the story of Jonah need not be considered as a late story or parable".<ref name=Wiseman>"Archaeology and the Book of Jonah", delivered in January, 1978, published as {{cite journal |last1=Donald Wiseman |title=Jonah's Nineveh |journal=Tyndale Bulletin|year=1979|volume=30 |pages=29–52|url=http://www.tyndalehouse.com/TynBul/Library/TynBull_1979_30_02_Wiseman_JonahsNineveh.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112082129/http://www.tyndalehouse.com/TynBul/Library/TynBull_1979_30_02_Wiseman_JonahsNineveh.pdf|archive-date=12 January 2012|author1-link=Donald Wiseman}}</ref>