Jonah Cohen that is, was, not Jonah Lomu (he's very big).
2007-10-24 19:30:19 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I can't even swallow the fact that Christians believe that a person named Jonah was swallowed by a sea creature of any kind and lived to tell the story.
2007-10-24 19:41:06 · answer #1 · answered by gemma 4 · 1⤊ 3⤋
There has been considerable speculation as to what kind of fish this may have been. The sperm whale is fully capable of swallowing a man whole. So is the great white shark. The Bible, though, simply states: “Jehovah appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah.” (Jonah 1:17) The kind of fish is not specified. It cannot be determined with certainty whether it was a sperm whale, a great white shark, or some other unidentified sea creature. The Bible record that it was “a great fish” is sufficient for our information
2007-10-24 20:40:33 · answer #2 · answered by dunc 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It wasn't a whale, that was a mistranslation by the King James folks. Good thing we have the older manuscripts like the Dead Sea scrolls.
It was a fish of some type, and yes, even fish nowadays can get that big.
The Hebrew word that was used defies translation, and literally it's something like "giant sea fish like creature." The King James translators assumed that meant whale, but we know nowadays that whales do not have throats wide enough to swallow a whole person.
Giant carp and catfish that have been found do, however.
2007-10-24 19:34:24 · answer #3 · answered by Last Ent Wife (RCIA) 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
I assume, you are talking about the bible story of Jonah and the whale. As I remember the whale was very, very large! It really doesn't give a lot of details try looking it up in a newer version of the bible.
2007-10-24 19:35:33 · answer #4 · answered by southernhoney 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Jonah was a medium sized man.....the bible calls the animal a fish....
The point being Jonah was given a task...he refused to carry out the task and was punished.....he then went ahead and warned the people...and lo and behold they all turned back to God and were spared....today...all mankind should hear the story of JONAH
2007-10-24 20:59:40 · answer #5 · answered by debbie2243 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The whale was massive
most people assume that it was a cachalot [also known as the "sperm whale"]. it may very well have been a white shark. the hebrew phrase used in the old testament, gadowl dag, literally means “great fish.” the greek used in the new testament is këtos which simply means “sea creature.” there are at least two species of mediterranean marine life that are known to be able to swallow a man whole. these are the cachalot and the white shark. both creatures are known to prowl the mediterranean and have been known to mediterranean sailors since antiquity
2007-10-24 19:34:16 · answer #6 · answered by Silver 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
It wasn't a whale. It was a great fish, according to the bible. I have read there has never been a fish large enough to swallow a man.
2007-10-24 19:34:27 · answer #7 · answered by Max 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
well, the Bible says "big" or "great" fish and there really are fish that grow big enough to swallow a man. they're called Grouper or Jew fish. however, tho these fish grow big enough to swallow a man a man could not live in one as the gastric juices would dissolve him. one hear stories of how a diver got swallowed by a Grouper and had to cut his way out.
2007-10-24 19:44:06 · answer #8 · answered by nebtet 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
if you read the book of Jonah you'll realise that this fish that swallowed him was not an existing fish.
ffor it says God had prepared a fish to swallow him.
meaning it was designed especialy for him.
now to andwer your question; it was the fish that was big.
2007-10-24 19:46:16 · answer #9 · answered by doctor 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Wasn't a whale... my Bible says 'a big fish'.
2007-10-24 19:39:22 · answer #10 · answered by David F 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋