Jonah 1 - The Scriptures 1998

¹ And the word of יהוה  came to Yonah son of Amittai, saying,

² “Arise, go to Ninewĕ

³ But Yonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of יהוה, and went down to Yapho, and found a ship going to Tarshish. And he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of יהוה.

⁴ And יהוה  sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a great storm on the sea, so that the ship was thought to be broken up.

⁵ And the seamen were afraid, and each one cried out to his mighty one, and threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Yonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, and he lay down, and was fast asleep.

⁶ And the captain came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, cry out to your Elohim, if so be that Elohim shall think about us, so that we do not perish.”

⁷ And they said to each other, “Come, and let us cast lots, so that we know for whose sake this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Yonah.

⁸ So they said to him, “Please explain to us! For whose sake is this evil upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And from what people are you?”

⁹ And he said to them, “I am a Heḇ

¹⁰ And the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?” For the men knew that he fled from the presence of יהוה, for he had informed them.

¹¹ And they said to him, “What are we to do to you to make the sea calm for us?” For the sea was growing more stormy.

¹² And he said to them, “Take me and throw me into the sea, so that the sea becomes calm for you. For I know that this great storm is because of me.”

¹³ However, the men rowed hard to bring the ship to land, but were unable, for the sea continued to grow more stormy against them.

¹⁴ And they cried out to יהוה  and said, “We pray, O יהוה, please, let us not perish for this man’s life, and do not lay on us innocent blood. For You, O יהוה, have done as it pleased You.”

¹⁵ Then they took Yonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped raging.

¹⁶ And the men feared יהוה  exceedingly, and brought an offering to יהוה  and made vows.

¹⁷ But יהוה  appointed a great fish to swallow Yonah. And Yonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.