ABSTRACT
The Bible is diverse not only because of the many different literary genres and subgenres found within its pages, but also because of the extraordinary variety found in the historical circumstances that gave rise to the biblical texts. Comprehensive approaches to the interpretation of biblical texts will often combine both literary and historical judgments that take into account the tremendous diversity of the Bible. Books of the Bible may not be of a single piece, and they may require different literary approaches at different points in the text. The book of Jonah is an interesting case in point. If an interpreter were to conclude that the book of Jonah was intended as some type of descriptive historical account, certain considerations would invariably come to the fore. From a theological point of view, the book of Jonah is about religious exclusivism and moving beyond religious boundaries.
