(1) A prophet born at Gath-hepher, his father being Amittai.  At a time apparently of national depression, he prophesied the restoration of the Israelite territory "from the entering of Harnath to the sea of the plain," which was effected by the conquests of Jeroboam II., about 822 B.C. (A.V.).  Jonah must, therefore, have flourished some time (probably only a short period) before that event (2 Kings xiv. 25; Jonah i. 1).
    (2) The father of Simon Peter, called Jona or Jonas in the A.V., but Jonah and John in the R.V. (Matt. xvi. 17—A.V. and R.V.; John i. 42—A.V. and R.V.). 
    ¶ The book of Jonah.—The fifth in order of the minor prophetic books in the Hebrew original, in the Septuagint, and in the English Bible. (The Sunday School Teacher's Bible Manual, Hunter, 1894)