Jonah 1 Commentary

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Jonah 1:1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying,

• Jonah (KJV): 2Ki 14:25 Mt 12:39 16:4 Lu 11:29,30,32, Jonas

The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying,

Jonah 1:2 “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.”

• Nineveh (KJV): Jon 3:2 4:11 Ge 10:11 2Ki 19:36 Na 1:1 2:1-3:19 Zep 2:13-15 
• cry (KJV): Jon 3:2 Isa 58:1 Jer 1:7-10 Eze 2:7 3:5-9 Mic 3:8 Mt 10:18 
• for (KJV): Ge 18:20,21 Ezr 9:6 Jas 5:4 Rev 18:5 

Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.”

Jonah 1:3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.  

• to flee (KJV): Jon 4:2 Ex 4:13,14 1Ki 19:3,9 Jer 20:7-9 Eze 3:14 Lu 9:62 Ac 15:38 Jon 26:19 1Co 9:16 
• from (KJV): Ge 3:8 4:16 Job 1:12 2:7 Ps 139:7-12 2Th 1:9 
• Joppa (KJV): Jos 19:46 2Ch 2:16 Ac 9:36 
• Tarshish (KJV): As Jonah embarked at Joppa, a seaport on the Mediterranean, it was probably either Tarsus in Cilicia, or rather Tartessus in Spain, to which he intended to flee.  When we reflect how such a message would be received in the streets of London at this day, we shall not wonder at the prophet's reluctance to announce the destruction of the proud and idolatrous Nineveh. Isa 2:16 23:1,6,10 60:9 Eze 27:12 

But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD

Jonah 1:4 The LORD hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up.

• the Lord (KJV): Ex 10:13,19 14:21 15:10 Nu 11:31 Ps 107:24-31 135:7 Am 4:13 Mt 8:24-27 Ac 27:13-20 
• sent out (KJV): Heb. cast forth
• like (KJV): Heb. thought

The LORD hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up

Jonah 1:5 Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep.

• cried (KJV): Jon 1:6,14,16 1Ki 18:26 Isa 44:17-20 45:20 Jer 2:28 Ho 7:14 
• and cast (KJV): Job 2:4 Ac 27:18,19,38 Php 3:7,8 
• the sides (KJV): 1Sa 24:3 
• and was (KJV): Jud 16:19 Mt 25:5 26:40,41,43,45 Lu 22:45,46 

Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep

Jonah 1:6 So the captain approached him and said, “How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.”  

• What (KJV): Isa 3:15 Eze 18:2 Ac 21:13 Ro 13:11 Eph 5:14 
• arise (KJV): Ps 78:34 107:6,12,13,18-20,28,29 Jer 2:27,28 Mk 4:37-41 
• if (KJV): Jon 3:9 2Sa 12:22 Es 4:16 Joe 2:11 Am 5:15 

So the captain approached him and said, “How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish

Jonah 1:7 Each man said to his mate, “Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us.” So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

• every (KJV): Judges 7:13,14 Isa 41:6,7 
• and let (KJV): Jos 7:14-18 Jud 20:9,10 1Sa 10:20,21 14:41,42 Es 3:7 Ps 22:18 Pr 16:33 Mt 27:35 Ac 1:23-26 13:19 
• for (KJV): Jos 7:10,13 22:16-20 1Sa 14:38,39 Job 10:2 
• and the (KJV): Nu 32:23 Jos 7:18 1Co 4:5 

Each man said to his mate, “Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us.” So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah

Jonah 1:8 Then they said to him, “Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”

• Tell (KJV): Jos 7:19 1Sa 14:43 Jas 5:16 
• What is thine (KJV): Ge 47:3 1Sa 30:13 

Then they said to him, “Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”

Jonah 1:9 He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.”  

• I am (KJV): Ge 14:13 39:14 Php 3:5 
• and I (KJV): 2Ki 17:25,28,32-35 Job 1:9 Ho 3:5 Ac 27:23 Rev 15:4 
• the Lord (KJV): or, Jehovah
• the God (KJV): Ezr 1:2 5:11 7:12,13 Ne 1:4 2:4 Ps 136:26 Da 2:18,19,44 Rev 11:13 16:11 
• which (KJV): Ne 9:6 Ps 95:5,6 146:5,6 Ac 14:15 17:23-25 

He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land

Jonah 1:10 Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, “How could you do this?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

• were (KJV): Joh 19:8 
• exceedingly afraid (KJV): Heb. afraid, with great fear, Da 5:6-9 
• Why (KJV): Jos 7:25 2Sa 24:3 
• he fled (KJV): Jon 1:3 Job 27:22 

Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, “How could you do this?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

Jonah 1:11 So they said to him, “What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?”–for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy.

• What (KJV): 1Sa 6:2,3 2Sa 21:1-6 24:11-13 Mic 6:6,7 
• calm unto us (KJV): Heb. silent from us.  wrought, and was tempestuous.  or, grew more and more tempestuous.  Heb. went and was, etc.

So they said to him, “What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?”–for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy

Jonah 1:12 He said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you.”

• Take (KJV): 2Sa 24:17 Joh 11:50 
• for (KJV): Jos 7:12,20,21 1Ch 21:17 Ec 9:18 Ac 27:24 

He said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you

Jonah 1:13 However, the men rowed desperately to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming even stormier against them.

• Nevertheless the (KJV): There was great humanity and tender feeling in these men. They were probably affected deeply with the candid confession, the disinterested, submissive conduct of the disobedient prophet, and were unwilling to cast him into the deep, until they found that every effort to save themselves was in vain.
• rowed (KJV): Heb. digged
• but (KJV): Job 34:29 Pr 21:30 

However, the men rowed desperately to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming even stormier against them.

Jonah 1:14 Then they called on the LORD and said, “We earnestly pray, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O LORD, have done as You have pleased.”  

• they (KJV): Jon 1:5,16 Ps 107:28 Isa 26:16 
• let (KJV): Ge 9:6 De 21:8 Ac 28:4 
• for (KJV): Ps 115:3 135:6 Da 4:34,35 Mt 11:26 Eph 1:9,11 

Then they called on the LORD and said, “We earnestly pray, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O LORD, have done as You have pleased

Jonah 1:15 So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging.

• they (KJV): Jos 7:24-26 2Sa 21:8,9 
• and the (KJV): Ps 89:9 93:3,4 107:29 Mt 8:26 Lu 8:24 
• ceased (KJV): Heb. stood

So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging

Jonah 1:16 Then the men feared the LORD greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.  

• feared (KJV): Jon 1:10 Isa 26:9 Da 4:34-37 6:26 Mk 4:31 Ac 5:11 
• offered (KJV): etc. Heb. sacrificed a sacrifice unto the Lord, and vowed vows, Ge 8:20 Jud 13:16 2Ki 5:17 Ps 107:22 Isa 60:5-7 
• made (KJV): Ge 28:20 Ps 50:14 66:13-16 116:14 Ec 5:4 

Then the men feared the LORD greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows

Jonah 1:17 And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.

• the Lord (KJV): Jon 4:6 Ge 1:21 Ps 104:25,26 Hab 3:2 
• in (KJV): Mt 12:40 16:4 Lu 11:30 
• belly (KJV): Heb. bowels

And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.