Amittai (Jonah's father)

Amittai was the father of the prophet Jonah and came from Gath-Hefer in the territory of the tribe of Zebulun in Galilee. He is mentioned in two biblical contexts: in Jonah 1:1, where God calls Jonah to go to Nineveh, and in 2 Kings 14:25, in connection with the prophecy about Israel's border expansion under King Jeroboam II. The name Amittai is derived from the Hebrew word for 'truth' (emet) and can be translated as 'my truth' or 'faithful'. Although Amittai has no independent role in the biblical narratives, he is linked to one of the most well-known stories in the Old Testament through his son Jonah, whom God called to preach repentance to the great city of Nineveh.