Jonah Viewed as History

Reference was made to the historical story of Jonah and the whale in the preceding chapter. Now some Nantucketers rather distrust this historical story of Jonah and the whale. But then there were some sceptical Greeks and Romans, who, standing out from the orthodox pagans of their times, equally doubted the story of Hercules and the whale, and Arion and the dolphin; and yet their doubting those traditions did not make those traditions one whit the less facts, for all that.

The previous chapter referred to the historical story of Jonah and the whale. Now, some Nantucketers distrust that historical story. But some skeptical Greeks and Romans, unlike the orthodox pagans of their time, also doubted certain stories. They doubted the stories of Hercules and the whale and of Arion and the dolphin. Yet their doubts did not make those traditions any less factual.

One old Sag-Harbor whaleman’s chief reason for questioning the Hebrew story was this:—He had one of those quaint old-fashioned Bibles, embellished with curious, unscientific plates; one of which represented Jonah’s whale with two spouts in his head—a peculiarity only true with respect to a species of the Leviathan (the Right Whale, and the varieties of that order), concerning which the fishermen have this saying, “A penny roll would choke him”; his swallow is so very small. But, to this, Bishop Jebb’s anticipative answer is ready. It is not necessary, hints the Bishop, that we consider Jonah as tombed in the whale’s belly, but as temporarily lodged in some part of his mouth. And this seems reasonable enough in the good Bishop. For truly, the Right Whale’s mouth would accommodate a couple of whist-tables, and comfortably seat all the players. Possibly, too, Jonah might have ensconced himself in a hollow tooth; but, on second thoughts, the Right Whale is toothless.

One old Sag-Harbor whaleman had a chief reason for doubting the Hebrew story. He owned a quaint old-fashioned Bible decorated with curious, unscientific illustrations. One showed Jonah’s whale with two blowholes in its head. Only one kind of Leviathan has two blowholes: the Right Whale and its related varieties. Fishermen say of this kind of whale, “A penny roll would choke him”, because its throat is so small. But Bishop Jebb has an answer ready in advance. The Bishop suggests that Jonah need not have been buried in the whale’s belly. Instead, he may have been temporarily lodged somewhere in its mouth. This seems reasonable enough of the good Bishop. A Right Whale’s mouth really could hold a couple of whist-tables and comfortably seat all the players. Perhaps Jonah even made himself comfortable in a hollow tooth. But, on second thought, the Right Whale has no teeth.

Another reason which Sag-Harbor (he went by that name) urged for his want of faith in this matter of the prophet, was something obscurely in reference to his incarcerated body and the whale’s gastric juices. But this objection likewise falls to the ground, because a German exegetist supposes that Jonah must have taken refuge in the floating body of a dead whale—even as the French soldiers in the Russian campaign turned their dead horses into tents, and crawled into them. Besides, it has been divined by other continental commentators, that when Jonah was thrown overboard from the Joppa ship, he straightway effected his escape to another vessel near by, some vessel with a whale for a figure-head; and, I would add, possibly called “The Whale,” as some craft are nowadays christened the “Shark,” the “Gull,” the “Eagle.” Nor have there been wanting learned exegetists who have opined that the whale mentioned in the book of Jonah merely meant a life-preserver—an inflated bag of wind—which the endangered prophet swam to, and so was saved from a watery doom. Poor Sag-Harbor, therefore, seems worsted all round. But he had still another reason for his want of faith. It was this, if I remember right: Jonah was swallowed by the whale in the Mediterranean Sea, and after three days he was vomited up somewhere within three days’ journey of Nineveh, a city on the Tigris, very much more than three days’ journey across from the nearest point of the Mediterranean coast. How is that?

Another reason Sag-Harbor (that was what he was called) gave for doubting the story of the prophet was somewhat unclear. It had to do with Jonah’s trapped body and the whale’s digestive juices. But this objection also falls apart. A German biblical scholar supposes that Jonah must have taken refuge in the floating body of a dead whale. French soldiers in the Russian campaign did much the same. They made tents out of their dead horses and crawled inside them. Other European commentators have guessed that Jonah escaped to another vessel nearby when he was thrown overboard from the Joppa ship. They suggest that the vessel had a whale as its figurehead. And I would add that it may have been called “The Whale,” just as some vessels today are named the “Shark,” the “Gull,” or the “Eagle.” Some learned biblical scholars have even suggested that the whale in the book of Jonah simply meant a life preserver, an inflated bag of air. They think the endangered prophet swam to it and was saved from drowning. Poor Sag-Harbor, then, seems to have been defeated on every point. But he had one more reason for doubting the story. If I remember rightly, it was this: Jonah was swallowed by the whale in the Mediterranean Sea. Three days later, he was vomited up somewhere within three days’ journey of Nineveh, a city on the Tigris. Yet Nineveh is much more than three days’ journey from the nearest point on the Mediterranean coast. How is that possible?

But was there no other way for the whale to land the prophet within that short distance of Nineveh? Yes. He might have carried him round by the way of the Cape of Good Hope. But not to speak of the passage through the whole length of the Mediterranean, and another passage up the Persian Gulf and Red Sea, such a supposition would involve the complete circumnavigation of all Africa in three days, not to speak of the Tigris waters, near the site of Nineveh, being too shallow for any whale to swim in. Besides, this idea of Jonah’s weathering the Cape of Good Hope at so early a day would wrest the honor of the discovery of that great headland from Bartholomew Diaz, its reputed discoverer, and so make modern history a liar.

But was there no other way for the whale to land the prophet that close to Nineveh? Yes. The whale might have carried him around the Cape of Good Hope. But that would have meant traveling the whole length of the Mediterranean, then up the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. And it would have meant sailing around all of Africa in three days. Not to mention that the Tigris waters near Nineveh are too shallow for any whale to swim in. Besides, if Jonah had sailed around the Cape of Good Hope so early, he would take the honor of discovering that great headland from Bartholomew Diaz, its reputed discoverer. That would make modern history a liar.

But all these foolish arguments of old Sag-Harbor only evinced his foolish pride of reason—a thing still more reprehensible in him, seeing that he had but little learning except what he had picked up from the sun and the sea. I say it only shows his foolish, impious pride, and abominable, devilish rebellion against the reverend clergy. For by a Portuguese Catholic priest, this very idea of Jonah’s going to Nineveh via the Cape of Good Hope was advanced as a signal magnification of the general miracle. And so it was. Besides, to this day, the highly enlightened Turks devoutly believe in the historical story of Jonah. And some three centuries ago, an English traveller in old Harris’s Voyages, speaks of a Turkish Mosque built in honor of Jonah, in which Mosque was a miraculous lamp that burnt without any oil.

But all these foolish arguments by old Sag-Harbor only showed his foolish pride in his own reasoning. That was even more blameworthy in him because he had little education beyond what he had learned from the sun and the sea. I say his arguments only show his foolish, godless pride and his hateful, devilish rebellion against the reverend clergy. After all, a Portuguese Catholic priest put forward this very idea that Jonah went to Nineveh by way of the Cape of Good Hope. The priest said the journey greatly heightened the overall miracle. And so it did. Besides, to this day, the highly enlightened Turks devoutly believe that the story of Jonah is historical. And an English traveler, writing some three centuries ago in old Harris’s Voyages, tells of a Turkish Mosque built in Jonah’s honor. In the Mosque was a miraculous lamp that burned without any oil.