1Jonah, sent by God to Nineveh, fleeth to Tarshish: 4he is overtaken by a storm, and discovered; 11thrown into the sea, 17and swallowed by a fish.
1Now1 the word of the LORD came unto 2Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
1 This particle in the Old Testament, according to the use of the Hebrew language, is frequently put in the beginning of a history, and so it is by the evangelists in the New; as other languages also have theirs to begin their speeches withal, more for ornament than necessity.
2 Being of Gath-hepher, situated in the tribe of Zebulon. See 2 Kings 14:25, with the annotations, from which place it is gathered that he prophesied about the time of the prophets Hosea and Amos, and of king Jeroboam, the second by that name, the son of Joash, king in Israel, when that kingdom enjoyed thus far outward peace and prosperity, though they were very unthankful to God and obstinate to all His warnings and threatenings; for which cause it pleased God, to order this prophet to Nineveh, to shame and convince His own people by the example of the Ninevites. Compare Mat. 12:41; Luke 11:32.
2Arise, go to 3Nineveh, that greata city, and 4cry against it; 5for 6their wickedness is 7come up before me.
3 The ancient royal capital of Assyria. See Gen. 10:11, 12; 2 Kings 19:36; Neh. 2:8, etc.
a Gen. 10:11; Jonah 3:3.
4 Or, preach. Hebr. cry, proclaim, which also in the New Testament is often taken for preaching, even by Christ Himself in speaking of these Ninevites, Mat. 12:41, etc.
5 Or, preach to her, that their wickedness is, etc.
6 Of the inhabitants.
7 That is, their sins are so many, grievous and notorious, that I can endure them no longer, but must punish them forthwith unless they repent. Compare Gen. 18:20, 21.
3But Jonah rose up to 8flee unto 9Tarshish from the presence of the 10LORD, and went down to 11Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare 12thereof, and went down into it, to go with 13them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
8 What moved him to do this, see Jonah 4:2.
9 The famous seaport and capital of Cilicia, the birthplace of the apostle Paul. See 1 Kings 10 on verse 22; Acts 21:39; 22:3.
10 Before Whose face, he, as God’s minister, ought to have stood (as Scripture commonly speaks), to receive and execute His charge, which he, seeking to eschew here, it is said of him, that he fled from the face of God, that is, neglected this his duty. See Deut. 10 on verse 8; 1 Kings 17:1, etc.
11 Otherwise called: Japho, also a seaport. See 2 Chron. 2 on verse 16.
12 Namely, of that ship. Hebr. the wages of it, namely, the ship.
13 The mariners.
4¶But the LORD 14sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was 15like to be broken.
14 Unawares and also that the mariners could perceive that it was extraordinary, exceptional and of Divine origin.
15 A common expression both in the Hebrew and in other languages also, that is, it seemed no different, they supposed fully, or the mariners thought their ship would be split and wrecked in pieces.
5Then the 16mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto 17his god, and cast forth the 18wares that were in the ship into the sea, to 19lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the 20sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast 21asleep.
16 Or, seafarers, that is, the boatmen, crew and passengers, who sailed in the salt sea, at which the Hebrew phrase hints.
17 That is, idol, which he worshipped according to the manner of his residence.
18 All kinds of moveable goods. See of the Hebrew word Lev. 15 on verse 4.
19 Or, unburden.
20 That is, on the one side thereof. See Judges 12 on verse 7.
21 As not imagining any trouble, or, thinking himself very safe and secure from any danger.
6So the 22shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, 23What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will 24think upon us, that we perish not.
22 Or, head-boatman, chief-boatswain. The Hebrew word is derived from managing of ropes or cables.
23 Or, How are you thus overtaken with a deep sleep?
24 For good, to pity and spare us. Other, show himself kind or friendly to us.
7And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know 25for whose cause this 26evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot 27fell upon Jonah.
25 Who among us is the guilty person, for whose cause this danger has happened to us; or, who shall be able to discover the guilty man to us, that we may see what course to take, or perhaps there might be a means to deliver us. Other, why.
26 Of the punishment; this danger, mishap, namely, this tempest. See Gen. 19 on verse 19.
27 By God’s government. See Prov. 16:33, with the annotations.
8Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, 28for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine 29occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?
28 Is it for your own sake, or anyone belonging to you, or peradventure for the sake and worth of him against whom you or yours have sinned? Other, wherefore, or for what cause? The Hebrew expression is much the same with that of the previous verse.
29 Or, employment, trade, what do you do? What is your occupation?
9And he said unto them, I am an 30Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God 31of heaven, which hath made the 32sea and the 33dry land.
30 See Gen. 10 on verse 21.
31 He Who is said to have His throne and habitation in heaven, where He manifest His Divine Majesty in a most glorious manner; or, He Who made the heavens.
32 Even this one on which we sail.
33 That is, the earth. See Gen. 1:9, 10.
10Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, 34Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the 35presence of the LORD, because he had told them.
34 Or, what a doing is this? How did you come to do such things? Spoken in amazement. Other, what is this, that thou didst, or, Why hast thou?, etc.
35 As verse 3.
11¶Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm 36unto us? for the sea 37wrought, and was tempestuous.
36 Or, from against us, namely, from raging thus against us, or, grow calm and cease from us; in the same sense. See of the Hebrew word Joshua 10 on verse 12; Prov. 26 on verse 20. Other, against us. Compare Psalm 28:1. Also verse 12.
37 Hebr. went and became boisterous. Or, goeth and growth, etc., (as a sea phrase). That is, grows or grew more and more tempestuous, and boisterous every moment. See the like phrase Gen. 8:3, 5; 26:13; Judges 4:24; 1 Sam. 14:19; 2 Sam. 3:1 in the annotations. Also verse 13.
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 38know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.
38 Through a special inspiration from God and the testimony of his own conscience.
13Nevertheless the men 39rowed hard to bring it to the 40land; but they could not: for the sea 41wrought, and was tempestuous against them.
39 Hebr. properly, dug, namely, into the sea, that is, they rowed by reason of the likeness that there is between rowing and digging. These men did as much as possible to exonerate Jonah.
40 That is, the dry land, as verse 9.
41 See on verse 11.
14Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s 42life, and 43lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.
42 Or, soul, that is, person. See Gen. 12 on verse 5.
43 That is, do not impute unto us and do not punish us for it, as for murder, that we are forced to have this man (who has committed no offence against us, and we know no more of his business than what he has told us himself) to be thrown overboard; for, we do it unwillingly and by necessity. It seems that this is all Thy work and Providence, and we may not speak anything against Thee. Thou hast disposed this matter according to Thy own good pleasure. See of the phrase Judges 9 on verse 24.
15So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
16Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and 44offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and 45made vows.
44 When they were safe and sound, they gave thanks with sacrifices to this God, Whom they had experienced to be the Author of this great tempest and the ceasing of the same, and consequently of their wonderful deliverance.
45 Compare Jonah 2:9 with the annotation.
17¶Now the LORD had 46prepared a 47great fish 48to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the 49belly of the fish threeb days and three nights.
46 Or, had appointed, allotted, namely, by His almighty, wise and Fatherly government; also Jonah 4:6, 7, 8. The Hebrew word is the same from which Manna had its name, wherewith God fed Israel in the wilderness. See Exod. 16 on verse 15.
47 Namely, a whale, Mat. 12:40.
48 Which accordingly came to pass, that he did swallow him up.
49 That is, in the bowls or stomach of that whale. Hereby God made this prophet to become a type of our Lord Jesus Christ. See Mat. 12:40; 16:4; Luke 11:30.
b Mat. 12:40; 16:4; Luke 11:30.