The Word Am I

The Prophet Jonah

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- Chapter 2 -

1
And the Lord prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.
2
And Jonah prayed to the Lord, his God, from the belly of the fish.
3
And he said: “I cried out to the Lord from my tribulation, and he heeded me. From the belly of hell, I cried out, and you heeded my voice.
4
And you have thrown me into the deep, in the heart of the sea, and a flood has encircled me. All your whirlpools and your waves have passed over me.(a)
5
And I said: I am expelled from the sight of your eyes. Yet, truly, I will see your holy temple again.
6
The waters surrounded me, even to the soul. The abyss has walled me in. The ocean has covered my head.
7
I descended to the base of the mountains. The bars of the earth have enclosed me forever. And you will raise up my life from corruption, Lord, my God.
8
When my soul was in anguish within me, I called to mind the Lord, so that my prayer might come to you, to your holy temple.
9
Those who in vain observe vanities, abandon their own mercy.(b)
10
But I, with a voice of praise, will sacrifice to you. I will repay whatever I have vowed to the Lord, because of my salvation.”
11
And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.(c)

Footnotes

(a)2:4 The word ‘gurgites’ is somewhat obscure. It seems to refer to any type of rough or dangerous water, including whirlpools, eddies and strong currents, and rough water. If the context were a river, ‘gurgites’ might be translated as ‘white water’ or ‘rapids.’(Conte)
(b)2:9 Or, ‘Those who for nothing practice emptiness, abandon their own mercy.’(Conte)
(c)2:11 Spoke to the fish:God’s speaking to the fish, was nothing else but his will, which all things obey.(Challoner)
1
Then Jonah prayed to the LORD, his God, out of the fish’s belly.
2
He said, “I called because of my affliction to the LORD. He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol(a) I cried. You heard my voice.
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.
4
I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’
5
The waters surrounded me, even to the soul. The deep was around me. The weeds were 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.
7
“When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD. My prayer came in to you, into your holy temple.
8
Those who regard vain idols forsake their own mercy.
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.”
10
Then the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah on the dry land.

Footnotes

(a)2:2 Sheol is the place of the dead.
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