The answer is: 40 days

Jonah 3:4 - This number is often associated with humiliation... 40 days fasting, 40 years in the wilderness.

The story of Jonah is fascinating not just for its eerie narrative but for its numbers, particularly the 40 days that put an end to complacency in Nineveh. This significant numeral pops up repeatedly throughout the Bible, often marking rituals of transformation, testing, or divine ferment. Take, for instance, Moses, who spent 40 days on Mount Sinai—it's during this period that he received the Law!

Speaking of echoes, notice how the theme of penitence flows like water through both Jonah and the Christ figure in the Gospels. Just as Jonah brings a foreboding warning that prompts genuine repentance from the Ninevites, Jesus speaks about "the sign of Jonah" referring to his own death and resurrection—underscoring a message of hope and forgiveness amidst judgment.

It’s intriguing, too, how Nineveh was a powerful city, yet a humble recognition of their wrongs turned them towards mercy. This leads us to think about our own endeavors; sometimes, great change can arise from acknowledging our downfalls and engaging in collective reflection and repentiveness, certainly a hallmark for cohesive community growth.

Remember, 40 days isn't just a countdown to disaster; it also embodies possibilities—a sanctified reshuffling of priorities that gives rise to hope. Who knew, amid all the fishy twists and prophetic deflection, that Jonah's happened to liltingly remind us about transformation—temporary suffering leading to unimagined grace? Plenty to chew on during those divine interludes!