Jonah and the fish
And
the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their
evil has come up before Me.
But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
And he went down to Joppa. And he found a ship going to Tarshish. And
he gave its fare, and went down into it, in order to go with them to
Tarshish, away from the sight of the LORD.
But the
LORD hurled a great wind into the sea, and there was a great storm in
the sea, so that the ship was thought to be broken.
Then
the seamen were afraid, and each man cried to his god. And they threw
out the ship's articles in the ship, into the sea in order to lighten
it . But Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship; and he lay
there, and was fast asleep.
And the chief of the seaman came to him and said to him, What is it to
you, O sound sleeper? Arise, call upon your God! It may be that our god
will notice us, and we will not perish.
And they said, each one to his fellow, Come and let us cast lots, so
that we may know who has caused this evil to occur to us. And they cast
lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.
Then they said to him, Please tell us, for what reason this evil has
come on us. What is your business? And where do you come from? Where is
your country? And of what people are you?
And he said to them, I am a Hebrew; and I fear Jehovah, the God of
heaven, who has made the sea and the dry land.
Then the men were afraid with a great fear. And they said to him, What
is this you have done? For the men knew that he was fleeing from before
the face of Jehovah, because he had told them.
Then they said to him, What shall we do to you, that the sea may be
calm to us? For the sea was going on and being stormy.
And he said to them, Take me up and throw me out into the sea. And the
sea shall be calm to you; for I know that this great storm has come on
you for my sake.
But the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not, for
the sea was going on and being stormy against them.
And they cried to the LORD and said, We beg You, O LORD, we beg You,
let us not perish for this man's life, and do not lay on us innocent
blood. For You, O LORD, have done as it pleased You.
And they lifted Jonah up and threw him out into the sea; and the sea
ceased from its raging.
Then the men feared Jehovah exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the
LORD, and vowed vows.

And 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.
And
Jonah prayed to the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,
and
he said, I cried to the LORD from my distress. And He answered me. Out
of the belly of Sheol I cried for help, and You heard my voice.
For
You cast me into the depths of the seas, and the current surrounded me.
All Your breakers and Your waves passed over me.
Then
I said, I am cast off from Your eyes, yet I will look again toward Your
holy temple.
Waters encompassed me, even to the soul; the depth closed around me;
the seaweed was bound to my head.
I went down to the bottoms
of the mountains; the earth with her bars was around me forever; yet
You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God.
When
my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; and my prayer came in
to You, into Your holy temple.
They
who take heed to lying vanities forsake their kindness;
but I
will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will fulfill
that which I have vowed. Salvation belongs to the LORD!
And
the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out on the dry land.
