< Jonah 1 >
1 NOW THE WORD of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying:
Now the word of the Lord came to Jonas the son of Amathi, saying,
2 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim against it; for their wickedness is come up before Me.'
Rise, and go to Nineve, the great city, and preach in it; for the cry of its wickedness is come up to me.
3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD; 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 the LORD.
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.
4 But the LORD hurled a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
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.
5 And 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.
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.
6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him: 'What meanest thou that thou sleepest? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.'
And the shipmaster came to him, and said to him, Why snore you? arise, and call upon your God, that God may save us, and we perish not.
7 And 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.
And each man said to his neighbor, 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.
8 Then 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?'
And they said to him, Tell us what is your occupation, and whence come you, and of what country and what people are you?
9 And he said unto them: 'I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who hath made the sea and the dry land.'
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].
10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him: 'What is this that thou hast done?' For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.
Then the men feared exceedingly, and said to him, What is this [that] you have done? for the men knew that he was fleeing from the face of the Lord, because he had told them.
11 Then 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.
And they said to him, What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us? for the sea rose, and lifted its wave exceedingly.
12 And 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.'
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.
13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not; for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.
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.
14 Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said: 'We beseech Thee, O LORD, we beseech Thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood; for Thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased Thee.'
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 you, Lord, have done as you would.
15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea; and the sea ceased from its raging.
So they took Jonas, and cast him out into the sea: and the sea ceased from its raging.
16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.
And the men feared the Lord very greatly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord, and vowed vows.
17 And the LORD prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
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.