Jonah 1:2 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Arise; forthwith prepare thyself, and get all in readiness, and with hearty resolution set upon the work. Go; so soon as thou art ready, set forward on thy journey, make not any delay. Nineveh; the chief city or metropolis of the Assyrian kingdom, built by Asshur, Genesis 10:11, if that verse be not better translated thus, He (i.e. Nimrod) went out into Assyria, and builded Nineveh; so Nimrod was the founder and first builder. That great city: it may be easily conjectured a great city which was situate on such a river as Tigris is, had continued so many hundred years, from A.M. 1119, in which it was built, unto 3124, about which time Jonah was sent to preach against it; during which long growth it may be conceived as great as it is ordinarily described, one hundred and fifty furlongs in length, that is, eighteen miles and three quarters of our English measure, and eleven miles and one quarter of the same measure in breadth. Cry against it; earnestly and publicly preach against the sins, and denounce the sudden ruin of that city unless they repent; so cry that all may hear, or at least all may come to the knowledge of what is threatened. For their wickedness is come up before me: their many and great sins, as it is said of Cain's sin when he had slain Abel, Genesis 4:10, and Sodom's sins, Genesis 18:20,21, and the sins of oppressors, James 5:4, cry aloud, the cry enters heaven, and justice must no longer defer; yet I will give them warning; Jonah, go thou, and tell them plainly, their great sins shall be greatly punished.