The 'great fish' has probably made Jonah the best known of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. The book bearing his name, comprising just 48 verses, has tantalized and intrigued its readers down the ages.

Undue preoccupation with the fish may cause us to miss what is actually going on in the narrative. Although on the surface the story seems fairly straightforward, Rosemary Nixon explores its fascinating complexity to show how the author grapples with conflicting perceptions of God - and how, while we might question some the story's extra-ordinary features, we ourselves are questioned by the God who questions Jonah, and challenged to hear God's word afresh today.

Rosemary Nixon was pastor to the Community of Durham Cathedral and formerly vicar of All Saints' Church in Cleadon, Sunderland. She also served as principal of the Theological Institute of the Scottish Episcopal Church, Edinburgh, director of the urban studies unit in the parish of Gatehead, and tutor in Old Testament studies at Cranmer Hall, Durham.