The men of Nineveh means “the people of Nineveh” (Good News Translation). New American Bible has “the citizens of Nineveh,” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “the inhabitants of Nineveh.”
It may be necessary to specify that Nineveh was a city, as in “the city of Nineveh.”
We suggested under verse 40 the possible need for a footnote about the story of Jonah. That note should include the fact he was sent to Nineveh, so that verse 41 follows naturally from 40.
Arise (Good News Translation “stand up”) may also mean “rise from the dead” (Barclay). The verb is in fact frequently used in the New Testament of Jesus’ own resurrection (Mark 8.31; 9.9, 10, 31; 10.34; 16.9; Luke 18.33; 24.7, 46; John 20.9; Acts 17.3; 1 Thes 4.14), which is likely the reason that a number of translations prefer “rise” (Moffatt, Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, An American Translation). New English Bible does not follow this interpretation in the text, but gives an alternative rendering, “rise again.” Scholarly opinion is divided, and Aramaic scholars note that the phrase “will arise … with” represents an Aramaic idiom meaning “stand or rise up in judgment with.” If this is the meaning, then at the judgment denotes the time when the people of Nineveh will make their accusation rather than the time of their rising from the dead. In either case, the context suggests that the idea of rising from the dead is probably not the one to be emphasized. This means that the best way to render arise may be simply “stand up,” as in Good News Translation, or perhaps “stand up to accuse” or “stand up as witnesses against.”
At the judgment (Good News Translation “On the Judgment Day”) is a slightly different phrase from the one used in verse 36, but the meaning is the same. New English Bible renders “at the Judgment,” and New Jerusalem Bible renders “On Judgement day,” as it did in verse 36. As there, it can also be “on the day God judges the earth” or “at the time when God judges people.”
With this generation and condemn it is transferred to a second person by Good News Translation and shortened: “accuse you.” As in verse 39, this generation can also be “the people of today” or “you people of this day.”
Since it will be God actually passing judgment on people and condemning them, when the text says that the people of Nineveh will condemn, a better rendering is “accuse” or “testify against.” If an object of this action is required, it can be “accuse you of wrongdoing” or “tell how you have sinned.”
Repented (Good News Translation “turned from their sins”): this is the final occurrence of this verb in the Gospel; it was first used in 3.2 (see comments there), then in 4.17; 11.20, 21.
The Greek noun phrase at the preaching of Jonah is reformulated as a temporal clause by Good News Translation: “when they heard Jonah preach.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “when Jonah warned them.” The Greek noun preaching actually focuses more upon the content than it does upon the form of the proclamation and so may be rendered “message.” One way to say it is “when they heard the message of Jonah” or “because of the message Jonah proclaimed to them.”
And behold: see comments on 1.20. In this context it may be rendered “and now” or “but I tell you.”
Something greater than is similar to the structure in 12.6. The Greek text does have a different word for greater, but no distinction in meaning is intended, and all translations appear to use the same adjective. As in 12.6, Moffatt makes explicit that the reference is to Jesus: “and here is One greater than Jonah.” New American Bible also implies a personal reference, “but you have a greater than Jonah here.” Barclay, on the other hand, apparently applies this to the Kingdom of God, “and there is a greater event than Jonah here.” The same exegetical and translational questions exist here as at 12.6; see comments there.
Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .