Hobbits, elves, wizards…and Hebrew prophets? We all love J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, but did you know that he published a translation of the biblical book of Jonah?

J.R.R. Tolkien was an editor of The Jerusalem Bible (1966). Honestly, it’s not that great of a Bible, but it’s worthy owning since it contains some lesser known Tolkien text.

Tolkien and the Biblical Jonah

Father Alexander Jones, a Catholic priest and general editor of The Jerusalem Bible, had been a fan of The Lord of the Rings and invited Tolkien to the translation project to oversee the style of its English. Father Jones wanted Tolkien to translate more of the Old Testament (including the epic Judges), but Tolkien could only find time to translate the short book of Jonah.

New Edition of Tolkien’s Translation of Jonah

If you’re a Tolkien fan, your collection is not complete without his Jonah: Tolkien’s most explicitly Christian literary contribution. After the success and renewed popularity of Tolkien after the release of the film editions, publisher Darton, Longman & Todd published a stand alone book of Tolkien’s translation of Jonah. This version seems to be out of print, but you can get Tolkien’s Jonah by ordering a copy of The Jerusalem Bible by clicking here.

Have you read Tolkien’s Jonah? What do you think? Leave a comment below.