Bible fact · Translation-dependent observation
Jonah's fish is not called a whale in Jonah
The book of Jonah says the LORD prepared a "huge fish" (or "great fish") to swallow Jonah; it does not say what kind of animal it was. Jonah 1:17Jonah 2:10
Discover why
"The LORD prepared a huge fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights." Jonah prayed from inside the fish, and it vomited him onto dry land. Jonah 1:17Jonah 2:1Jonah 2:10
Matthew 12:40 uses a Greek word for a large sea creature; older English versions translated it "whale", but the passage does not identify the species. Matthew 12:40
What the Bible does not say
The species of the fish is not stated. In the Hebrew text Jonah 1:17 is numbered 2:1, so verse numbers differ between editions.
Read the passage
Jonah 1:17 WEB
17The LORD prepared a huge fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Jonah 2:10 WEB
10Then the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah on the dry land.
Test yourself
For children
God sent a huge fish to swallow Jonah. The Bible calls it a "great fish". It does not say it was a whale!