1:1 The Lord said1 to Jonah son of Amittai,2 1:2 “Go immediately3 to Nineveh,4 that5 large capital6 city,7 and announce judgment against8 its people9 because their wickedness10 has come to my attention.”11 1:3 Instead Jonah immediately12 headed off to a distant seaport13 to escape14 from the commission of the Lord.15 He traveled16 to Joppa17 and found a merchant ship heading18 to a distant seaport.19 So he paid the fare20 and went aboard21 it to go with them22 to a distant seaport23 far away from the Lord.24 1:4 But25 the Lord hurled26 a powerful27 wind on the sea. Such a violent28 tempest arose on the sea that29 the ship threatened to break up!30 1:5 The sailors were so afraid that each cried out31 to his own god32 and they flung33 the ship’s cargo34 overboard35 to make the ship lighter.36 Jonah, meanwhile,37 had gone down38 into the hold39 below deck,40 had lain down, and was sound asleep.41 1:6 The captain of the crew approached him and said, “What are you doing asleep?42 Get up! Cry out43 to your god! Perhaps your god44 might take notice of us45 so that we might not die!” 1:7 The sailors said to one another,46 “Come on, let’s cast lots47 so that we might find out48 whose fault it is that this disaster has fallen upon us.49” So they cast lots, and Jonah was singled out.50 1:8 They said to him, “Tell us, whose fault is it that this disaster has fallen upon us?51 What’s your occupation? From where do you come? What’s your country? And who are your people?”52 1:9 He said to them, “I am a Hebrew! And I worship53 the Lord,54 the God of heaven,55 who made the sea and the dry land.” 1:10 Hearing this,56 the men became even more afraid57 and said to him, “What have you done?” The men said this because they knew that he was trying to escape58 from the Lord59 because he had previously told them.60 1:11 Because the storm was growing worse and worse,61 they said to him, “What should we do to you so that62 the sea might calm down63 for us?” 1:12 He said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea to make the sea quiet down,64 because I know it’s my fault you are in this severe storm.” 1:13 Instead, they tried to row65 back to land,66 but they were not able to do it67 because the storm was growing even worse and worse.68 1:14 So they cried out to the Lord, “Oh, please, Lord, don’t let us die on account of this man! Don’t hold us guilty of shedding innocent blood.69 After all, you, Lord, have done just as you pleased.”70 1:15 So they picked Jonah up and threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped raging. 1:16 The men greatly feared71 the Lord,72 and earnestly vowed73 to offer lavish sacrifices74 to the Lord.75
Jonah Prays
1:1776 The Lord sent77 a huge78 fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.