Bible fact · Literary or interpretive observation
Jesus spoke of "the sign of Jonah"
Jesus compared Jonah's three days in the fish with the Son of Man's three days in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:39–41Jonah 1:17
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"For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." He added that the people of Nineveh repented at Jonah's preaching. Matthew 12:39–41
Jonah 1:17 records the three days and nights. Jonah 1:17
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Matthew 12:39–41 WEB
39But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet. 40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here.
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.