The prophet's decision to abandon his mission and leave his homeland stems not from personal fear, but from a profound ideological conflict and fierce devotion to his people. He chooses voluntary exile to prevent the salvation of Israel's enemies, understanding that their survival could ultimately bring harm to his own nation. He sets his sights on a destination at the very edge of the known world, completely outside the Land of Israel. Commentators identify this distant location as either Tarsus in Spain or Turkey, the city of Tunis in Africa, or simply the name of a sea.
As a man of immense wisdom, the prophet knows he cannot physically hide from God, whose presence fills the entire earth. His intention is specifically to distance himself from the realm of Divine inspiration. By leaving the Land of Israel, the designated place for prophecy, he hopes the Divine spirit will no longer rest upon him, effectively releasing him from his mission. Furthermore, he deliberately chooses to flee by sea. While prophecy can occasionally occur outside the Land of Israel, he assumes that traveling on a ship surrounded by idolaters, coupled with the natural anxieties and hardships of sailors at sea, will completely deprive him of the quiet isolation required to receive Divine communication [מלבי״ם].
The driving force behind his refusal to travel to Nineveh is a deep protective instinct toward the Israelites. He is aware that the inhabitants of Nineveh are highly receptive and close to repentance. If they were to change their ways immediately, it would serve as a harsh indictment against the Israelites, who are historically slow to heed the words of their own prophets. Moreover, Nineveh is the capital of Assyria, the very empire destined to eventually destroy Israel. Unwilling to be the instrument of salvation for his people's future destroyers, he prioritizes the honor of the nation over the honor of God. He is fully prepared to sacrifice his own soul and violate the severe prohibition of suppressing a prophetic vision just to shield his people.
Descending to the port city of Jaffa, situated topographically lower than the rest of the land, he encounters a ship preparing for the voyage. While some suggest the vessel was simply ready to depart, others explain that it had just arrived, and the owners would normally wait several days to gather enough passengers to cover the journey's expenses [מלבי״ם]. Eager to hasten the departure, he steps forward to pay. The primary approach among commentators is that the prophet, being a man of significant wealth, acts highly unusually. Rather than paying at the end of the journey as was customary, he pays immediately upon boarding. Furthermore, he does not merely purchase his own passage but covers the cost of the entire ship. He does this to ensure the vessel leaves instantly without waiting for additional merchants, and to keep the passenger count low, anticipating the perilous journey ahead and wishing to prevent massive loss of life [מלבי״ם]. A minority view maintains that he only paid for his own individual fare [אבן עזרא].
His choice to travel alongside the ship's crew serves an additional spiritual purpose beyond merely blocking his prophetic abilities. He relies on a spiritual principle that destructive forces do not hold sway over a vessel carrying a diverse mixture of nations. Even though he has effectively purchased the entire ship, his profound humility leads him to view himself as entirely secondary to the sailors, hoping this collective presence will spare him from the impending storm [נחל שורק, חומת אנך].