Jonah 2
1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD, his God, out of the fish’s belly.
[While he was] inside the huge fish, Jonah prayed to Yahweh God, [whom] he [worshiped. After Yahweh told him that he would answer his prayer, ]
2 He said, “I called because of my affliction to the LORD. He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried. You heard my voice. (Sheol h7585)
Jonah said, “Yahweh, when I was greatly distressed [here], I prayed to you, and you heard what I [prayed]. When I was [about to descend way down into] the place where dead people go, you heard me when I called out [for you to help/save me]. (Sheol h7585)
3 For you threw me into the depths, in the heart of the seas. The flood was all around me. All your waves and your billows passed over me.
You threw me [down] into the deep [water], into the bottom [DOU] of the sea. The currents of the sea swirled around me, and the huge waves crashed above me.
4 I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again towards your holy temple.’
Then I thought, ‘You have banished me, and I will never be able to enter your presence again. I will never see your holy temple [in Jerusalem] again!’
5 The waters surrounded me, even to the soul. The deep was around me. The weeds were wrapped around my head.
The water surrounded me, and threatened to drown me. Seaweed was wrapped around my head.
6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains. The earth barred me in forever; yet you have brought my life up from the pit, LORD my God.
I sank down to where the mountains start rising [MET] [from the bottom of the sea]. I thought that forever [it would be as though] my body would be in a prison [MTY] [inside the earth] below me. But you, Yahweh God, whom I [worship], rescued me from going down to the place of the dead.
7 “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD. My prayer came in to you, into your holy temple.
When I was almost dead [EUP], Yahweh, I (thought about/prayed to) you. You [heard] my prayer, up [there where] you [are, in] your holy temple.
8 Those who regard vain idols forsake their own mercy.
All those who worship worthless idols are rejecting [you], the one who [could] act kindly toward them.
9 But I will sacrifice to you with the voice of thanksgiving. I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation belongs to the LORD.”
But I will sing to thank [you], and I will offer a sacrifice to you. I will [surely] do what I have solemnly promised [to do]. Yahweh, you are the one who is [able to] save [us].”
10 Then the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah on the dry land.
Then Yahweh commanded the huge fish to vomit out Jonah, [and the fish did that], and [Jonah was able to get] to the land.
