Jonah 1

1 This message from the Lord came to Jonah, the son of Amittai:

And the word of Yahweh came unto Jonah son of Amittai, saying:

2 ‘Arise, go to that great city, Nineveh, and preach against it; for their wickedness is known to me.’

Arise, get thee to Nineveh the great city, and proclaim unto it, —that their wickedness, hath come up, before me.

3 But Jonah started 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 the fare and went aboard to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

But Jonah arose to flee unto Tarshish, away from the presence of Yahweh, —and went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish, so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of Yahweh.

4 But the Lord made a furious wind blow over the sea, and there was such a great storm that the ship was in danger of breaking to pieces.

But, Yahweh, hurled a great wind against the sea, —and, there arose a mighty tempest in the sea, —and, the ship, thought to be broken in pieces,

5 The sailors were terrified and each cried for help to his own god. They threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to make the ship lighter. Meanwhile Jonah had gone down into the bottom of the ship and lay fast asleep.

Then were the mariners, afraid, and made outcry every man unto his own god, and they hurled the wares which were in the ship, into the sea, to lighten it of them, —but, Jonah, had gone down into the hinder parts of the vessel, and had lain down, and fallen into a sound sleep.

6 The captain of the ship went and said to him, ‘How can you sleep? Call on your god; perhaps that god will think of us, so that we may not be lost.’

Then drew near unto him the shipmaster, and said to him, What meanest thou, O sound sleeper? Arise, cry unto thy God, Peradventure God will bethink himself of us, that we perish not.

7 The sailors said to one another, ‘Come, let us cast lots to discover on whose account this evil has come upon us.’ So they cast lots, and the lot indicated Jonah.

And they said—every one unto his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may get to know for whose sake this calamity is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

8 So they said to him, ‘Are you to blame for this? Tell us, what is your business, and where do you come from? What is your country and to what people do you belong?’

Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose sake this calamity is upon us? What is thy business? and from whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

9 He replied, ‘I am a Hebrew, and a worshipper of the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.’

And he said unto them, A Hebrew, am I, —and, Yahweh, the God of the heavens, do, I, revere, him who made the sea, and the dry land.

10 Then the men were greatly frightened and said to him, ‘What have you done?’ For they knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.

Then did the men revere with great reverence, and said unto him, What is it thou hast done? For the men knew that, away from the presence of Yahweh, he was fleeing, —for he had told them.

11 Then they said to him, ‘What should we do to you, to make the sea calm for us?’ For the sea grew more and more stormy.

Then said they unto him, What shall we de to thee, that the sea may cease raging over us? For, the sea, was raging more and more.

12 He said to them, ‘Take me up and throw me into the sea, and the sea will be calm for you, for I know that it is because of me this fierce storm has overtaken you.’

And he said unto them, Take me up, and hurl me into the sea, that the sea may cease raging over you, —for I do know that, for my sake, is this great tempest upon you.

13 But instead the men rowed hard to get back to the land; they could not, however, for the sea grew more and more stormy ahead.

Nevertheless the men, wrought hard, to bring it back unto the land, but could not, —for, the sea, was raging over them more and more.

14 So 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 let us be guilty of shedding innocent blood, for you are the Lord; you have done as it pleases you.’

Then cried they unto Yahweh, and said, Ah now, Yahweh, pray let it not be that we perish for this man’s life, neither lay upon us innocent blood, —for, thou, O Yahweh, as thou hast pleased, hast ever done.

15 And they took up Jonah, and threw him into the sea; and the sea became calm.

So they took up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, —and the sea, left off, her roaring.

16 Then the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice and made vows to him.

Then did the men revere Yahweh with a great reverence, —and offered sacrifice to Yahweh, and vowed vows.

17 But the Lord arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.

Now Yahweh had appointed a great fish, to swallow up Jonah, —and Jonah was in the belly of the fish, three days and three nights.