I heard a preacher that said Jonah drowned, the whale probably spit him up on shore near Nineveh where at least a couple Ninevites witnessed him get resurrected .. And probably the story spread like wildfire throughout the land as Jonah preached to repent..
Matthew 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
Interestingly he uses 4 days that the spirit remained alive (dead asleep) with Lazarus . One greater than the demonstration with the Son of man . God cannot die. Four seems to be the greatest time period a body is kept from corrupting totally. never to rise.
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Three to represent the end of a matter .Where four represent universal sufferings the trial of our new faith that works in the believer.