Jonah 2

1 From inside [out of the belly of, within] the fish [a great sea creature], Jonah [the prophet, a messenger of God] prayed [cried out, made supplication] to the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] his God [the one true God, his divine Father], word study 2 saying: “In my [deep, intense] distress [affliction, trouble] I called [prayed, cried out] to the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], and He answered [heard, responded to] me. From the belly [depths, innermost part] of Sheol [the underworld, place of the dead] I called [cried out, pleaded] for help, and You heard [listened to, gave ear to] my voice. word study 3 For You [the Lord, Yehovah] cast me into the deep [the bottom of the sea, the abyss], into the heart [the midst, the center] of the seas, and the current [the flood, the river] swirled about me; all Your breakers [waves, billows] and waves [surges, crashing waves] swept over me. word study 4 At this, I said, ‘I have been [sent away, cast out] banished from Your [divine, all-seeing] sight; yet I will look once more [again, with hope] toward Your [sacred] holy temple [place of worship, divine presence].’ word study 5 The waters [surrounded me, compassed me about] engulfed me [unto the soul] to take my life; the watery depths [the deep, the sea] closed around me; the seaweed [weeds, sea-grass] wrapped around my head. word study 6 To the roots [bottoms, bases] of the mountains I descended; the earth [with her bars] beneath me barred me in [surrounded, closed upon] forever [till the end of time, as far as I could see]! But You raised [brought up, rescued] my life [soul, living being] from the pit [abyss, deep waters], O LORD [Yehovah] my God! word study 7 As my life [ebbing away, fading] was fading away, I remembered [kept in mind, thought about] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God, the supreme God, Elohim]. My prayer [petition, request] went up [ascended, rose] to You, to Your [set apart] holy temple [special place, sanctuary]. word study 8 Those who cling [hold tightly, obsessively] to worthless [false, empty] idols [lying vanities, useless objects of worship] forsake [turn away from, abandon] His [the Lord’s, God’s] loving devotion [own mercy, kindness, covenant faithfulness]. word study 9 But I, with the voice [shouting out my thanks, of praise] of thanksgiving, will sacrifice [offer sacrifices, make an offering] to You. I will fulfill [pay, give effect to] what I have vowed [solemnly promised, made a promise]. Salvation [deliverance, rescue] is from the LORD [Yehovah, the one who saves]!” word study 10 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] commanded [spoke to, gave orders to] the fish, and it vomited [spat out, cast out] Jonah onto [upon, on to] dry land [the shore, the ground]. word study