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Jonah, 1

1. The word of Yahweh was addressed to Jonah son of Amittai:

1. Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amit'tai, saying,

2. 'Up!' he said, 'Go to Nineveh, the great city, and proclaim to them that their wickedness has forced itself upon me.'

2. "Arise, go to Nin'eveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness has come up before me."

3. Jonah set about running away from Yahweh, and going to Tarshish. He went down to Jaffa and found a ship bound for Tarshish; he paid his fare and boarded it, to go with them to Tarshish, to get away from Yahweh.

3. But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.

4. But Yahweh threw a hurricane at the sea, and there was such a great storm at sea that the ship threatened to break up.

4. But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.

5. The sailors took fright, and each of them called on his own god, and to lighten the ship they threw the cargo overboard. Jonah, however, had gone below, had lain down in the hold and was fast asleep,

5. Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried to his god; and they threw the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down, and was fast asleep.

6. when the boatswain went up to him and said, 'What do you mean by sleeping? Get up! Call on your god! Perhaps he will spare us a thought and not leave us to die.'

6. So the captain came and said to him, "What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call upon your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we do not perish."

7. Then they said to each other, 'Come on, let us draw lots to find out who is to blame for bringing us this bad luck.' So they cast lots, and the lot pointed to Jonah.

7. And they said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us." So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

8. Then they said to him, 'Tell us, what is your business? Where do you come from? What is your country? What is your nationality?'

8. Then they said to him, "Tell us, on whose account this evil has come upon us? What is your occupation? And whence do you come? What is your country? And of what people are you?"

9. He replied, 'I am a Hebrew, and I worship Yahweh, God of Heaven, who made both sea and dry land.'

9. And he said to them, "I am a Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land."

10. The sailors were seized with terror at this and said, 'Why ever did you do this?' since they knew that he was trying to escape from Yahweh, because he had told them so.

10. Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, "What is this that you have done!" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

11. They then said, 'What are we to do with you, to make the sea calm down for us?' For the sea was growing rougher and rougher.

11. Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?" For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

12. He replied, 'Take me and throw me into the sea, and then it will calm down for you. I know it is my fault that this great storm has struck you.'

12. He said to them, "Take me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you; for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you."

13. The sailors rowed hard in an effort to reach the shore, but in vain, since the sea was growing rougher and rougher.

13. Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring the ship back to land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.

14. So at last they called on Yahweh and said, 'O, Yahweh, do not let us perish for the sake of this man's life, and do not hold us responsible for causing an innocent man's death; for you, Yahweh, have acted as you saw fit.'

14. Therefore they cried to the LORD, "We beseech thee, O LORD, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not on us innocent blood; for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee."

15. And taking hold of Jonah they threw him into the sea; and the sea stopped raging.

15. So they took up Jonah and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased from its raging.

16. At this, the men were seized with dread of Yahweh; they offered a sacrifice to Yahweh and made vows to him.

16. Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.

17.

17. And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.



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Footnotes:

1:1-2 - God calls Jonah to preach against the city of Nineveh, but he flees to Tarshish. Jonah's refusal to fulfill his divine mission reflects human resistance to God's call, often out of fear or prejudice (see also Romans 10:14-15 and Matthew 28:19-20).

1:3-5 - Jonah tries to flee God's call on a ship, but a great storm is sent by God. The storm symbolizes the consequences of disobeying God, showing that nothing can escape His sovereignty (see also Psalm 107:25-29 and Hebrews 12:6).

1:6-10 - The sailors, fearing for their lives, question Jonah and discover that he is responsible for the storm. The sailors' plight illustrates the impact of sin and disobedience on the lives of others, and also reveals God's mercy even in times of crisis (see also Ezekiel 18:20 and 1 Timothy 2:4).

1:11-15 - Jonah instructs the sailors to throw him overboard to calm the storm. Jonah's action shows that obedience is essential to halt divine judgment. This act also points to the necessity of sacrifice to achieve peace (see also Luke 11:29-32 and Romans 5:9).

1:16-17 - The storm calms after Jonah's sacrifice. God provides a great fish to swallow Jonah, symbolizing divine grace that saves even when there are consequences for disobedience (see also Matthew 12:40 and Psalm 69:1-3).

Verses related to Jonah, 1:

Jonah chapter 1 recounts the reluctant prophet's escape. Why does Jonah try to escape God's call? This dramatic text describes the divine commission to Jonah to preach in Nineveh and his attempt to flee to Tarshish. The chapter reports the storm sent by God and the throwing of Jonah into the sea. Jonah 1 raises questions about obedience, divine sovereignty, and the scope of God's mercy. Explore with us five biblical passages that expand your understanding of the themes of calling and obedience presented in this intriguing chapter.

Matthew 12:40: "For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." - Jesus uses Jonah's experience as a prophetic sign of his own death and resurrection.

2 Kings 14:25: "It was he who reestablished the borders of Israel from Lebo-hamath to the sea of Arabah, according to the word that the Lord, the God of Israel, had spoken through his servant Jonah, son of Amittai, the prophet of Gath-hepher." - This passage provides historical context for Jonah, mentioning him as a recognized prophet in Israel.

Psalms 107:23-25: "Others set out to sea in ships, to trade in the great waters, and saw the works of the Lord, his wonders in the depths. He spoke and caused a gale that raised the waves." - This psalm describes a storm at sea, reminiscent of Jonah's experience in chapter 1.

Acts 27:18-19: "The next day, as the storm continued with the same force, they began to throw the cargo into the sea. On the third day, they themselves, with their own hands, threw the ship's devices into the sea." - Paul's experience during a storm at sea echoes that of Jonah, both facing dangers at sea.

Romans 1:16: "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Greek." - This verse reflects the universal theme of God's salvation, contrasting with Jonah's initial reluctance to preach to the Gentiles.

FAQ:

Why did Jonah flee to Tarshish?

Jonah fled to Tarshish when God called him to Nineveh, fearing that the Ninevites would repent and be forgiven. He wanted to avoid fulfilling this mission. (Jonah 1:1-3)

What happened during the storm at sea?

During the storm, the sailors cast lots and discovered that Jonah was the culprit. He was thrown overboard, and immediately the storm stopped. (Jonah 1:4-16)

How was Jonah saved from the sea?

God prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah, saving him from certain death at sea. He remained in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights. (Jonah 1:17)

What did the fish do to Jonah after three days?

After three days, the fish vomited Jonah onto dry land, fulfilling God's plan for him to preach in Nineveh. (Jonah 2:10)

What sign did God give Jonah to convince him to preach in Nineveh?

God commanded Jonah to go back to Nineveh, and after his obedience, the city repented, showing that God's call had a divine purpose. (Jonah 3:1-10)


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