Verses of Atonement: Jonah 3: 4-10

This is the fourth part of a series on atonement. As I have mentioned in previous posts, the Messianic movement falsely claims that atonement can only come through sacrifice. So, I am listing other Biblical means of atonement.

Jonah 3: 4-10

4. And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he proclaimed, and said: 'In forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.'

5. And the people of Nineveh believed G-d; and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

6 And the tidings reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and laid his robe from him, and covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

7. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying: 'Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing; let them not feed, nor drink water;

8. but let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and beast, and let them cry mightily unto G-d; let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.

9. Who knoweth whether G-d will not turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, that we perish not?'

10 And G-d saw their works, that they repented from their evil way; and G-d relented of the evil, which He said He would do unto them; and He did it not.


As the Book of Jonah shows us, the Bible approves of turning away from evil, prayer and fasting as non-sacrificial means of atonement.