MISCONSTRUED SCRIPTURE.
By Jewish Exponent
WHY people will, at times, misconstrue the character or description of events recorded in Holy Writ, it is difficult for us to say. Take, for example, the case of Jonah. We hear people repeatedly speak of his having been swallowed by a "whale," while nowhere throughout the whole book which bears his name do we find any evidence which points to that creature. The term used is daggadol (a great fish); and the text expressly states, "And the Lord prepared a great fish." This statement, without giving any warrant for the assertion that the animal was a "whale," at the same time contributes all the more to the exact truth of the entire narrative, since the Lord prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. Now, as we are not able even to speculate as to the species of "fish" to which this animal actually belonged, and have no proofs that a whale is meant, upon what sound basis can we found arguments which would lead us to deny the truth of the miracle as recorded in the Book of Jonah? —Jewish Exponent.