Jonah 1

1 Now the word [divine message, declaration] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord of Israel] came to Jonah [the prophet] son [descendant, offspring] of Amittai [my truth, faithful one], saying [to communicate, speak], word study 2 “Get up [arise, stand up]! Go to the great [large, important] city of Nineveh [the capital of Assyria] and preach [cry out, proclaim] against it, because its wickedness [evil, moral badness] has come up [ascended, risen] before Me [to My presence, in My sight].” word study 3 Jonah, however, got up [to rise, stand up, or arise] to flee [to run away, escape, or take flight] to Tarshish [a distant land, a place of refuge], away from the presence [face, or before] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God]. He went down [to descend, or go below] to Joppa [a coastal city, a port] and found [discovered, or came upon] a ship [a vessel, or fleet] bound for Tarshish [a merchant vessel, or a ship of commerce]. So he paid [gave, or provided] the fare [the price, or wages] and went aboard [on board, or into the ship] to sail [to journey, or travel by sea] for Tarshish [to a far-off land, or a distant place], away from the presence [face, or before] of the LORD. word study 4 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] hurled [cast, sent out] a great [large, powerful] wind [a blast of air] upon [towards, into] the sea [a large body of water], and such a violent [mighty, strong] storm [tempest, whirlwind] arose that the ship [vessel, fleet] was in danger [at risk, likely] of breaking [shattering, rupturing] apart. word study 5 The sailors [mariners, men of the sea] were afraid [filled with fear, terrified], and each cried out to his own god [divine being, deity]. And they threw the ship’s cargo [articles, utensils] into the sea [the Mediterranean, a large body of water] to lighten [make less heavy, ease] the load. But Jonah [the prophet, a messenger of God] had gone down [descended, fallen] to the lowest part [the innermost, deepest area] of the vessel [ship, sailing craft], where he lay down [rested, reclined] and fell into a deep sleep [a heavy, unconscious slumber]. word study 6 The captain [shipmaster, chief of the company] approached him and said, “How can you sleep [be in a deep slumber, unconscious]? Get up [rise, stand] and call upon your God [Elohim, the supreme Being]. Perhaps [if not, it may be] this God will consider us [think upon, reflect on our situation], so that we may not perish [be destroyed, lost].” word study 7 “Come [let us proceed]!” said the sailors to one another [their fellow companions]. “Let us cast lots [small stones or pebbles to make a decision] to find out who is responsible [the cause or reason] for this calamity [evil, trouble, or adversity] that is upon us [has come to us].” So they cast lots [to determine the will of God], and the lot [allotted portion] fell on Jonah [the prophet, son of Amittai]. word study 8 “Tell us now [please, we pray thee],” they demanded, “who is to blame [responsible, at fault] for this calamity [evil, trouble] that is upon us? What is your occupation [work, employment, business], and where have you come from [whence comest thou]? What is your country [land, nation], and who are your people [nation, family, tribe]?” word study 9 “I am a Hebrew [a descendant of Eber, an Israelite],” replied Jonah. “I worship [reverence, fear] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], the God [Elohim, the supreme God] of the heavens [the visible universe, the sky], who made [created, formed] the sea [the Mediterranean, a large body of water] and the dry land [the earth, the ground].” word study 10 Then the men were even more [exceedingly, greatly] afraid [fearful, reverent] and said to him, “What [why, how] have you done [accomplished, brought about]?” The men knew [were aware, understood] that he was fleeing [running away, escaping] from the presence [face, before] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God], because [for, since] he had told [declared, informed] them. word study 11 Now the sea [was growing more tempestuous, becoming increasingly stormy] was growing worse and worse, so they said to Jonah, “What [shall we do, how can we act] must we do to you [to calm the storm, to make the sea quiet] to calm this sea [the turbulent waters, the raging waves] for us [on our behalf, for our sake]?” word study 12 “Pick me up [lift me, take me up],” he answered, “and cast me [throw me, hurl me] into the sea [the Mediterranean, a large body of water], so it may quiet down [become calm, be still] for you. For I know [am aware, have understanding] that I am to blame [responsible, at fault] for this violent storm [great tempest, severe hurricane] that has come upon you [happened to you, occurred because of me].” word study 13 Nevertheless, the men [sailors, ship-men] rowed hard [with great effort, to dig or force a passage] to get back to [return to, turn back towards] dry land [ground], but they could not [were not able, had no power], for the sea [the Mediterranean, a large body of water] was raging [storming, becoming more tempestuous] against them more and more [with increasing intensity, to a greater degree]. word study 14 So they cried out [with urgent prayer, in desperation] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]: “Please [we beseech thee], O LORD, do not let us perish [be destroyed, lost] on account of this man’s life [soul, the essence of a person]! Do not charge us with innocent [morally clean, guiltless] blood [the liquid that flows through the body, essential for life]! For You, O LORD, have done [as it pleased thee, with sovereign power] as You pleased [with delight, in accordance with Your will].” word study 15 At this, they picked up [lifted, raised] Jonah and cast [threw, hurled] him into the sea [the Mediterranean, a large body of water], and the raging [furious, intensely angry] sea grew calm [ceased from its rage, became still]. word study 16 Then the men [sailors, the crew] feared [stood in awe of, reverenced] the LORD [Yehovah, God Almighty] greatly [exceedingly, with profound respect], and they offered [presented, slaughtered] a sacrifice [an animal offering] to the LORD [the supreme God] and made [pledged, vowed] vows [promises, commitments] to Him. word study 17 Now the LORD [Yehovah] had appointed [prepared, designated] a great fish [huge fish, sea creature] to swallow [devour, engulf] Jonah, and Jonah spent [was] three days and three nights [72 hours] in the belly [inside, womb] of the fish. word study