The Book of
Jonah
1
1 Now
the LORD’s
word came to
Jonah the son
of Amittai, saying,
2 “Arise,
go to Nineveh,
that great city,
and preach against
it, for their
wickedness has
come up before
me.”
3 But
Jonah rose up
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
its fare, and
went down into
it, to go
with them to
Tarshish from the
presence of the
LORD.
4 But
the LORD sent
out a great
wind on the
sea, and there
was a mighty
storm on the
sea, so that
the ship was likely
to break up.
5 Then
the mariners were
afraid, and
every man cried to
his god. They
threw the cargo
that was in
the ship into
the sea to
lighten the ship.
But Jonah had
gone down into
the innermost
parts of the
ship and he
was laying down,
and was fast
asleep.
6 So
the ship master
came to him,
and said to
him, “What do
you mean, sleeper?
Arise, call on
your God!
Maybe your God
will notice us, so
that we won’t perish.”
7 They
all said to each
other, “Come! Let’s
cast lots, that
we may know
who is responsible
for this evil
that is on
us.” So they
cast lots, and
the lot fell
on Jonah.
8 Then
they asked him, “Tell
us, please, for
whose cause this
evil is on
us. What is
your occupation?
Where do you
come from? What
is your country?
Of what people
are you?”
9 He said
to them, “I
am a Hebrew,
and I fear
the LORD, the
God
of heaven, who
has made the
sea and the
dry land.”
10 Then
the men were
exceedingly afraid,
and said to him,
“What have you
done?” For the
men knew that
he was fleeing
from the presence
of the LORD,
because he had
told them.
11 Then
they said to him,
“What shall we
do to you,
that the sea
may be calm
to us?” For
the sea grew
more and more
stormy.
12 He said
to them, “Take
me up, and
throw me into
the sea. Then
the sea will
be calm for
you; for I
know that because
of me this
great storm is
on you.”
13 Nevertheless the
men rowed hard
to get them
back to the
land; but they
could not, for
the sea grew
more and more
stormy against
them.
14 Therefore
they cried to
the LORD, and
said, “We beg
you, LORD, we
beg you, don’t let
us die for this
man’s life,
and don’t lay on
us innocent blood;
for you, LORD,
have done as
it pleased you.”
15 So
they took up
Jonah and threw
him into the
sea; and the
sea ceased its
raging.
16 Then
the men feared
the LORD
exceedingly; and
they offered a
sacrifice to the
LORD and made
vows.
17 The
LORD prepared a huge fish to swallow
up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three
nights.