Amittai אֲמִתַּי

Male H0573 2 books

Father of the prophet Jonah

Who is Amittai in the Bible?

Amittai was the father of the prophet Jonah, whose name appears in 2 Kings 14:25 and Jonah 1:1. He hailed from Gath-hepher in the region of Zebulun and lived during the reign of King Jeroboam II of Israel. Jonah, the son of Amittai, is best known as the reluctant prophet who was called to preach repentance to the city of Nineveh and whose disobedience led to his famous encounter with a great fish. Beyond his role in his son's genealogy, Amittai's name preserves the historical connection between Jonah's prophetic ministry and the northern kingdom of Israel during a period of territorial expansion.

Biography

Amittai was the father of the prophet Jonah, who was from Gath-hepher in the region of Zebulun. Jonah, the son of Amittai, prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II, king of Israel. He predicted that Jeroboam would restore the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, which came to pass according to the word of the Lord.

Family

In Scripture

2 biblical books
2 Kings 1 verse
  • 2 Kings 14:25

    "This Jeroboam restored the boundary of Israel from Lebo-hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word that the LORD, the God of Israel, had spoken through His servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher."

Jonah 1 verse
  • Jonah 1:1

    "Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying,"

Names & Aliases

Form Language Script
Named Hebrew אֲמִתַּי
Encyclopedia Article

Amittai

ISBE 1915 (Public Domain)

am'-a ('ammah, "mother" or "beginning"): A hill in the territory of Benjamin (2Sa 2:24), where Joab and Abishai halted at nightfall in their pursuit of Abner and his forces after the