Jonah1
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1Now the word of Jehovah came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
2Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
3But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah; and he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah.
4But Jehovah sent out a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
5Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god; and they cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it unto them. But Jonah was gone down into the innermost parts of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
6So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
7And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
8Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; what is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?
9And he said unto them, I am a Hebrew; and I fear Jehovah, the God of heaven, who hath made the sea and the dry land.
10Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, What is this that thou hast done? For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of Jehovah, because he had told them.
11Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea grew more and more tempestuous.
12And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.
13Nevertheless the men rowed hard to get them back to the land; but they could not: for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.
14Wherefore they cried unto Jehovah, and said, We beseech thee, O Jehovah, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood; for thou, O Jehovah, hast done as it pleased thee.
15So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea; and the sea ceased from its raging.
16Then the men feared Jehovah exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice unto Jehovah, and made vows.
17And Jehovah prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Jonah 1.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Jonah, sent to Nineveh, flees to Tarshish. (1–3). He is stayed by a tempest. (4–7). His discourse with the mariners. (8–12). He is cast into the sea, and miraculously preserved. (13–17).
vv1-3
It is sad to think how much sin is committed in great cities. Their wickedness, as that of Nineveh, is a bold and open affront to God. Jonah must go at once to Nineveh, and there, on the spot, cry against the wickedness of it. Jonah would not go. Probably there are few among us who would not have tried to decline such a mission. Providence seemed to give him an opportunity to escape; we may be out of the way of duty, and yet may meet with a favourable gale. The ready way is not always the right way. See what the best of men are, when God leaves them to themselves; and what need we have, when the word of the Lord comes to us, to have the Spirit of the Lord to bring every thought within us into obedience.
vv4-7
God sent a pursuer after Jonah, even a mighty tempest. Sin brings storms and tempests into the soul, into the family, into churches and nations; it is a disquieting, disturbing thing. Having called upon their gods for help, the sailors did what they could to help themselves. Oh that men would be thus wise for their souls, and would be willing to part with that wealth, pleasure, and honour, which they cannot keep without making shipwreck of faith and a good conscience, and ruining their souls for ever! Jonah was fast asleep. Sin is stupifying, and we are to take heed lest at any time our hearts are hardened by the deceitfulness of it. What do men mean by sleeping on in sin, when the word of God and the convictions of their own consciences, warn them to arise and call on the Lord, if they would escape everlasting misery? Should not we warn each other to awake, to arise, to call upon our God, if so be he will deliver us? The sailors concluded the storm was a messenger of Divine justice sent to some one in that ship. Whatever evil is upon us at any time, there is a cause for it; and each must pray, Lord, show me wherefore thou contendest with me. The lot fell upon Jonah. God has many ways of bringing to light hidden sins and sinners, and making manifest that folly which was thought to be hid from the eyes of all living.
vv8-12
Jonah gave an account of his religion, for that was his business. We may hope that he told with sorrow and shame, justifying God, condemning himself, and explaining to the mariners what a great God Jehovah is. They said to him, Why hast thou done this? If thou fearest the God that made the sea and the dry land, why wast thou such a fool as to think thou couldst flee from his presence? If the professors of religion do wrong, they will hear it from those who make no such profession. When sin has raised a storm, and laid us under the tokens of God's displeasure, we must consider what is to be done to the sin that raised the storm. Jonah uses the language of true penitents, who desire that none but themselves may fare the worse for their sins and follies. Jonah sees this to be the punishment of his iniquity, he accepts it, and justifies God in it. When conscience is awakened, and a storm raised, nothing will turn it into a calm but parting with the sin that caused the disturbance. Parting with our money will not pacify the conscience, the Jonah must be thrown overboard.
Key Words
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
יוֹנָה: Jonah, an Israelite
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
אֲמִתַּי: Amittai, an Israelite
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
קוּם: to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)
יָלַךְ: to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)
נִינְוֵה: Nineveh, the capital of Assyria
גָּדוֹל: great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent
עִיר: a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
Cross References
Jonah 1Jesus explicitly names Jonah's three days in the whale as a type of His resurrection.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Classic passage demonstrating the absolute impossibility of fleeing from the presence of the Lord.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Joshua's interrogation of Achan mirrors the sailors' urgent questioning to discover the specific offender.
Supported by JFB
Identifies Jonah, son of Amittai, as an established historical prophet of Gath-hepher in Israel.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Traces the ancient origins of Nineveh, the great Assyrian city, built by Nimrod.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Confirms the sovereign oversight of the Lord over the casting of lots.
Supported by JFB
Parallel language of wickedness rising up before God, requiring His divine inspection and judgment.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jonah's own explanation for his flight: he feared God's mercy would spare Nineveh.
Supported by JFB
Lyrical description of sailors encountering a God-sent tempest and crying out in distress.
Supported by JFB
New Testament example where godly men cast lots to discern the Lord's chosen direction.
Supported by JFB
Establishes Joppa (Jaffa) as a historic, operational seaport serving Israel since Solomon's time.
Supported by JFB
Similar nautical emergency where cargo is cast overboard to lighten and save the ship.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Spiritual equivalent of the master's call to awake from dangerous, carnal sleep.
Supported by JFB
Verbal echo of the sailors' confession that the Lord does whatever pleases Him.
Supported by Matthew Henry