Jonas 1

1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonas the son of Amathi, saying,

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

2 Rise, and go to Nineve, the great city, and preach in it; for the cry of its wickedness is come up to me.

Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

3 But Jonas rose up to flee to Tharsis from the presence of the Lord. And he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tharsis: and he paid his fare, and went up into it, to sail with them to Tharsis from the presence of the Lord.

But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

4 And the Lord raised up a wind on the sea; and there was a great storm on the sea, and the ship was in danger of being broken.

But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

5 And the sailors were alarmed, and cried every one to his god, and cast out the wares that were in the ship into the sea, that it might be lightened of them. But Jonas was gone down into the hold of the ship, and was asleep, and snored.

Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man to his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

6 And the shipmaster came to him, and said to him, Why snorest thou? arise, and call upon thy God, that God may save us, and we perish not.

So the shipmaster came to him, and said to him, What mean you, O sleeper? arise, call on your God, if so be that God will think on us, that we perish not.

7 And each man said to his neighbour, Come, let us cast lots, and find out for whose sake this mischief is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonas.

And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is on us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

8 And they said to him, Tell us what is thine occupation, and whence comest thou, and of what country and what people art thou?

Then said they to him, Tell us, we pray you, for whose cause this evil is on us; What is your occupation? and from where come you? what is your country? and of what people are you?

9 And he said to them, I am a servant of the Lord; and I worship the Lord God of heaven, who made the sea, and the dry [land].

And he said to them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which has made the sea and the dry land.

10 Then the men feared exceedingly, and said to him, What is this [that] thou hast done? for the men knew that he was fleeing from the face of the Lord, because he had told them.

Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said to him. Why have you done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

11 And they said to him, What shall we do to thee, that the sea may be calm to us? for the sea rose, and lifted its wave exceedingly.

Then said they to him, What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us? for the sea worked, and was tempestuous.

12 And Jonas said to them, Take me up, and cast me into the sea, and the sea shall be calm to you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

And he said to them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm to you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is on you.

13 And the men tried hard to return to the land, and were not able: for the sea rose and grew more and more tempestuous against them.

Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea worked, and was tempestuous against them.

14 And they cried to the Lord, and said, Forbid it, Lord: let us not perish for the sake of this man's life, and bring not righteous blood upon us: for thou, Lord, hast done as thou wouldest.

Why they cried to the LORD, and said, We beseech you, O LORD, we beseech you, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood: for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you.

15 So they took Jonas, and cast him out into the sea: and the sea ceased from its raging.

So they look up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

16 And the men feared the Lord very greatly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord, and vowed vows.

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

17 Now the Lord had commanded a great whale to swallow up Jonas: and Jonas was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights.

Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.