In Jonah 4:11, is the phrase "persons who do not know their right hand from their left" a joke at the Assyrian's expense?

Question

Ten years ago I read a commentary on Jonah, that stated that the phrase "persons who do not know their right hand from their left" (ESV) in Jonah 4:11 was a joke from the Hebrew author exploiting the fact that in the Assyrian language there was no word for left hand or right hand.

I have long since forgotten that name of the commentary, and cannot for the life of me find any commentary today that states that particular interpretation. Most commentators I have read interpret the phrase as either referring to the Ninevites ignorance of good and evil, or the number of children in the city.

Is anyone aware of this interpretation, or any other interpretations that emphasise that this is a joke or pun?

Answer 1

One obvious reason for this particular idiom: according to Wikipedia, the Assyrian language was a dialect of Akkadian. Thus (and I stand to be corrected) Assyrian would presumably have been written from left to right, unlike Hebrew. So the joke might be that those Assyrians even write backwards!

Answer 2

I have my doubts about the ‘commentary’ Peter cited, for the simple reason (a thing yet mentioned by Perry Webb) Assyrian dialect (a form of Akkadian language) did possess these specific words. For ‘right’ they had IMNU (also IMITTU); for ‘left’ thay had ŠUMELU (compare also šamal [Arabic], semala [Syrian], and ŠMAL [Ugaritic]).

In every case, getting to the heart of the matter, the expression’s understanding at issue doesn’t refer to children or babies, possessing no life experience, but, more probable, to persons in general that had no knowledge between good (right) and evil (left), from God’s viewpoint.

The Bible itself guide us to understand so.

In fact, in Qoeleth 10:2 we read: “A wise man’s understanding is at his right hand; but a fool’s understanding at his left.” (Jewish Publication Society). Contemporary English Version also grasps the concept inside the expression, reading: “Sensible thoughts lead you to do right; foolish thoughts lead you to do wrong”.

In other words, the Ninivites had no knowledge on the manner to decide on the basis of the God’s law. This expression (לשׂמאל ימין בין) suggests their childlike crass ignorance of divine rules.

John Gill (Exposition of the Bible, on Qoe 10:2) wrote (bold is mine): “The Targum is, ‘the heart of a wise man is to get the law, which was given by the right hand of the Lord; and the heart of a fool to get the goods of gold and silver:'’. So Jarchi, ‘his wisdom is ready to incline him (the wise man) to the right hand way for his good; but the heart of a fool to pervert him from it.'’ The ancients [Suidas in voce δεξια] used to call things wise and prudent the right hand and things foolish the left hand.”

Interestingly, In English language, too, is used the expression ‘not to know where to turn’, or, ‘which way to turn’, where the force of the metaphor (to be – undecidedly - at a crossroads, figuratively) is remained inalterated through the ages.

Contemporary English Version grasps again the concept inside the expression, reading: “In that city of Nineveh there are more than a hundred twenty thousand people who cannot tell right from wrong, and many cattle are also there. Don't you think I should be concerned about that big city?” (Jon 4:11, CEV [bold is mine])

Really, if we taking no account of God in our life, we become like people prophet Jeremiah described in his book (Jer 10:23): “I know, Jehovah, that the way of man is not his own; it is not in a man that walketh to direct his steps.” (Darby)

Answer 3

Maybe it's not hyperbole. The year is 2021, it's estimated that 1% of the Western population does not know that they are the male sex or female sex and persuaded 80% of the population this is not insanity. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to believe Ninevites did not know their left from their left hand.

Likewise, in 1 Samuel 21, King David feigned insanity to take refuge with his enemy (King of Gath). Because insanity identified a person as a prophet, "He (David) changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard"

Answer 4

Right hand was used for eating. Left hand was used for wiping your ass.

There is another joke in there about the "animals", but I'm not getting it yet.