Jonah left the city and sat east of the city...until he should see what happened to the city: when the prophecy went forth - and the word of God necessarily comes to fruition - even if they repented, this proclamation could not go entirely unfulfilled. And when the prophecy went forth that Nineveh would be overturned, even if they did repent, the prophet feared remaining in the city, because at least some house and courtyards would certainly fall. And so he left the city, and God showed him that He has great power to redeem, as the entire prophecy was in the end directed only at Jonah's gourd.