\id JON - Christian Standard Bible® in English
\ide UTF-8
\rem Copyright © 2017-2020 by Holman Bible Publishers
\rem Language: English
\rem Text update February 2024
\toc3 Jnh
\toc2 Jonah
\toc1 Jonah
\mt Jonah
\c 1
\s1 Jonah’s Flight
\m
\v 1 The word of the \nd Lord\nd* came to Jonah son of Amittai:~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:1 \ft \+xt 2Kg 14:25; Jnh 3:1; Mt 12:39–41; 16:4; Lk 11:29–30,32\+xt*\f*
\v 2 “Get up!~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:2 \ft \+xt Nm 22:20; Dt 10:11; Jos 7:10\+xt*\f* Go to the great city~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:2 \ft \+xt Jnh 3:2–3; 4:11\+xt*\f* of Nineveh~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:2 \ft \+xt Gn 10:11; 2Kg 19:36; Is 37:37; Nah 1:1; Zph 2:13\+xt*\f* and preach against it~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:2 \ft \+xt Dt 15:9; 24:15; 2Kg 23:17; Is 58:1\+xt*\f* because their evil~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:2 \ft \+xt Jnh 3:8\+xt*\f* has come up before me.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:2 \ft \+xt Gn 18:20; Hs 7:2\+xt*\f*
\v 3 Jonah got up to flee to Tarshish~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:3 \ft \+xt Is 23:1,6,10; Jr 10:9\+xt*\f* from the \nd Lord\nd*’s presence.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:3 \ft \+xt Gn 4:16; Ps 139:7,9–10\+xt*\f* He went down~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:3 \ft \+xt Jnh 2:6\+xt*\f* to Joppa~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:3 \ft \+xt 2Ch 2:16; Ezr 3:7; Ac 9:36,43\+xt*\f* and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the \nd Lord\nd*’s presence.
\p
\v 4 But the \nd Lord\nd* threw~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:4 \ft \+xt 1Sm 18:11; 20:33; Is 22:17; Jr 22:26–28\+xt*\f* a great wind onto the sea,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:4 \ft \+xt Ps 107:25–28; 135:7\+xt*\f* and such a great storm arose on the sea that the ship threatened to break apart.
\v 5 The sailors were afraid, and each cried out to his god.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:5 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:26\+xt*\f* They threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to lighten the load.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:5 \ft \+xt Ac 27:18–19,38\+xt*\f* Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down to the lowest part of the vessel and had stretched out and fallen into a deep sleep.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:5 \ft \+xt Gn 2:21; 15:12; Jdg 4:21; Dn 8:18; 10:9; 1Th 5:6\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 6 The captain approached him and said, “What are you doing sound asleep? Get up! Call to your god.~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 1:6 \ft Or \fqa God\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:6 \ft \+xt Ps 107:28\+xt*\f* Maybe this god will consider us,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:6 \ft \+xt 2Sm 12:22; Am 5:15; Jnh 3:9\+xt*\f* and we won’t perish.”
\p
\v 7 “Come on!~” the sailors said to each other. “Let’s cast lots.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:7 \ft \+xt Jos 7:14–18; 1Sm 10:20–21; 14:41–42; Pr 16:33; Ac 1:23–26\+xt*\f* Then we’ll know who is to blame for this trouble we’re in.” So they cast lots, and the lot singled out Jonah.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:7 \ft \+xt Nm 32:23; Pr 16:33\+xt*\f*
\v 8 Then they said to him, “Tell us who is to blame for this trouble we’re in.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:8 \ft \+xt Jos 7:19; 1Sm 14:43\+xt*\f* What is your business,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:8 \ft \+xt Gn 47:3; 1Sm 30:13\+xt*\f* and where are you from? What is your country, and what people are you from?~”
\p
\v 9 He answered them, “I’m a Hebrew.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:9 \ft \+xt Gn 14:13; 39:14; Ex 1:15; 2:13; 1Sm 4:6\+xt*\f* I worship~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 1:9 \ft Or \fqa fear\f* the \nd Lord\nd*,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:9 \ft \+xt 2Kg 17:25,28,32–33\+xt*\f* the God of the heavens,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:9 \ft \+xt Gn 24:3,7; Ezr 1:2; Neh 1:4; Ps 136:26; Dn 2:18\+xt*\f* who made the sea~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:9 \ft \+xt Neh 9:6; Ps 95:5; 146:6\+xt*\f* and the dry land.”
\p
\v 10 Then the men were seized by a great fear and said to him, “What have you done?~” The men knew he was fleeing from the \nd Lord\nd*’s presence~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:10 \ft \+xt Jnh 1:3\+xt*\f* because he had told them.
\v 11 So they said to him, “What should we do to you so that the sea will calm down for us?~” For the sea was getting worse and worse.
\p
\v 12 He answered them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea so that it will calm down for you, for I know that I’m to blame~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:12 \ft \+xt 2Sm 24:17; 1Ch 21:17\+xt*\f* for this great storm that is against you.”
\v 13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they couldn’t because the sea was raging against them more and more.
\p
\v 14 So they called out to the \nd Lord\nd*,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:14 \ft \+xt Ps 107:28\+xt*\f* “Please, \nd Lord\nd*, don’t let us perish because of this man’s life, and don’t charge us with innocent blood! For you, \nd Lord\nd*, have done just as you pleased.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:14 \ft \+xt Ps 51:18; 115:3; 135:6; Pr 21:1; Is 55:11; Lm 3:37–39; Dn 4:34–35; Mt 11:25\+xt*\f*
\v 15 Then they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:15 \ft \+xt Ps 65:7; 93:3–4; 107:29\+xt*\f*
\v 16 The men were seized by great fear of the \nd Lord\nd*,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:16 \ft \+xt Is 59:19; Mc 7:17; Zph 2:11; Mal 1:14; Lk 8:22–25\+xt*\f* and they offered a sacrifice to the \nd Lord\nd* and made vows.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:16 \ft \+xt Ps 50:14; 66:13–14; 76:11; 116:17–18\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 17 The \nd Lord\nd* appointed a great fish~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:17 \ft \+xt Gn 9:2; Nm 11:22; 1Kg 4:33; Ps 8:8\+xt*\f* to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:17 \ft \+xt Mt 12:40; 16:4; Lk 11:29–30; Jn 11:6,14\+xt*\f*
\c 2
\s1 Jonah’s Prayer
\m
\v 1 Jonah prayed to the \nd Lord\nd* his God from the belly of the fish:~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:1 \ft \+xt Jb 13:15; Ps 130:1–2; Lm 3:53–56\+xt*\f*
\q1
\v 2 I called to the \nd Lord\nd* in~my~distress,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:2 \ft \+xt 1Sm 30:6; Ps 18:4–6; 22:24; 120:1\+xt*\f*
\q and he answered~me.
\q I cried out for~help from~deep~inside~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 2:2 \ft Lit \fqa from the stomach of\f*~Sheol;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:2 \ft \+xt Ps 18:5–6; 86:13; 88:1–7; Is 28:15; 38:18\+xt*\f*
\q you heard my~voice.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:2 \ft \+xt Ps 34:7\+xt*\f*
\q1
\v 3 When you threw me into~the~depths,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:3 \ft \+xt Ps 69:1–2,14–15; Lm 3:54\+xt*\f*
\q into the heart of~the~seas,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:3 \ft \+xt Neh 9:11\+xt*\f*
\q the current~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 2:3 \ft Lit \fqa river\f* overcame~me.
\q All your breakers and~your~billows swept~over~me.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:3 \ft \+xt Ps 42:7\+xt*\f*
\q1
\v 4 And I said, “I~have~been~banished~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:4 \ft \+xt Lv 21:7\+xt*\f*
\q from your sight,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:4 \ft \+xt Ps 31:22–23; Jr 7:15\+xt*\f*
\q yet I will look~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 2:4 \ft LXX reads \fqa sight. Will I look .~.~.~?\f* once~more
\q toward your~holy~temple.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:4 \ft \+xt 1Kg 8:38; 2Ch 6:38; Ps 5:7; 138:2\+xt*\f*
\q1
\v 5 The water engulfed me up to~the~neck;~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 2:5 \ft Or \fqa me, threatening my life\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:5 \ft \+xt Ps 69:1–2; 105:18; Pr 23:2; Lm 3:54\+xt*\f*
\q the watery depths overcame~me;
\q seaweed was wrapped around~my~head.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:5 \ft \+xt Ps 18:4–5\+xt*\f*
\q1
\v 6 I sank to~the~foundations of~the~mountains,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:6 \ft \+xt Ps 116:3\+xt*\f*
\q the earth’s~gates shut behind~me~forever!~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:6 \ft \+xt Jb 38:10; Ps 9:13; Is 38:10; Mt 16:18\+xt*\f*
\q Then you raised my~life~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:6 \ft \+xt Jb 33:28; Ps 16:10; 30:3; Is 38:17\+xt*\f* from~the~Pit, \nd Lord\nd*~my~God!~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:6 \ft \+xt Ps 30:3; 86:13\+xt*\f*
\q1
\v 7 As my life was~fading~away,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:7 \ft \+xt Ps 142:3\+xt*\f*
\q I remembered the \nd Lord\nd*,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:7 \ft \+xt 2Sm 14:11; Ps 77:10–11; 143:5\+xt*\f*
\q and my prayer came to~you,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:7 \ft \+xt 2Ch 30:27; Ps 18:6\+xt*\f*
\q to your holy~temple.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:7 \ft \+xt Ps 11:4; 65:4; 88:2; Mc 1:2; Hab 2:20\+xt*\f*
\q1
\v 8 Those who cherish~worthless~idols~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:8 \ft \+xt 2Kg 17:15; Ps 31:6; Jr 16:18\+xt*\f*
\q abandon their faithful~love,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:8 \ft \+xt Ps 31:6\+xt*\f*
\q1
\v 9 but as for me, I~will~sacrifice~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:9 \ft \+xt Ps 50:14,23; Jr 33:11; Hs 14:2\+xt*\f* to~you
\q with a voice of~thanksgiving.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:9 \ft \+xt Ps 26:7\+xt*\f*
\q I will fulfill~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:9 \ft \+xt Jb 22:27; Ps 22:25; 116:14,18; Ec 5:4–5\+xt*\f* what~I~have~vowed.
\q Salvation~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 2:9 \ft Or \fqa Deliverance\f* belongs to~the~\nd Lord\nd*.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:9 \ft \+xt Ps 3:8; Is 12:2; 45:17; Rv 7:10\+xt*\f*
\b
\p
\v 10 Then the \nd Lord\nd* commanded the fish,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:10 \ft \+xt Jnh 1:17\+xt*\f* and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
\c 3
\s1 Jonah’s Preaching
\m
\v 1 The word of the \nd Lord\nd* came to Jonah a second time:~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:1 \ft \+xt Jnh 1:1\+xt*\f*
\v 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:2 \ft \+xt Zph 2:13–15\+xt*\f* and preach~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:2 \ft \+xt Jr 1:17; Ezk 2:7\+xt*\f* the message that I tell you.”
\v 3 Jonah got up and went to Nineveh according to the \nd Lord\nd*’s command.
\p Now Nineveh was an extremely great city,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 3:3 \ft Or \fqa was a great city to God\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:3 \ft \+xt Gn 10:11–12; Jnh 1:2; 4:11\+xt*\f* a three-day walk.
\v 4 Jonah set out on the first day of his walk in the city and proclaimed,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:4 \ft \+xt 2Kg 18:26–28; Mt 12:41; Lk 11:32\+xt*\f* “In forty days Nineveh will be demolished!~”
\v 5 Then the people of Nineveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:5 \ft \+xt Dn 9:3; Jl 1:14\+xt*\f* and dressed in sackcloth~#—~#from the greatest of them to the least.
\p
\v 6 When word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:6 \ft \+xt 1Kg 21:27; Est 4:1–4; Jr 6:26; Ezk 27:30–31\+xt*\f* and sat in ashes.
\v 7 Then he issued a decree~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:7 \ft \+xt 2Ch 20:3; Ezr 8:21\+xt*\f* in Nineveh:
\pi By order of the king and his nobles: No person or animal, herd or flock, is to taste anything at all. They must not eat or drink water.
\v 8 Furthermore, both people and animals must be covered with sackcloth, and everyone must call out earnestly to God.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:8 \ft \+xt Ps 130:1; Jnh 1:6,14\+xt*\f* Each must turn from his evil ways~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:8 \ft \+xt Is 1:16–19; 55:6–7; Jr 18:11\+xt*\f* and from his wrongdoing.~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 3:8 \ft Or \fqa injustice\ft , or \fqa violence\f*
\v 9 Who knows?~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:9 \ft \+xt 2Sm 12:22; Jl 2:14\+xt*\f* God may turn and relent; he may turn from his burning anger so that we will not perish.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:9 \ft \+xt Jr 18:7–8\+xt*\f*
\b
\p
\v 10 God saw their actions~#—~#that they had turned from their evil ways~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:10 \ft \+xt 1Kg 21:27–29; 2Kg 17:13; 2Ch 7:14; Jr 18:11; 31:18\+xt*\f*~#—~#so God relented from the disaster~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:10 \ft \+xt Ex 32:14; Am 7:3,6\+xt*\f* he had threatened them with. And he did not do it.
\c 4
\s1 Jonah’s Anger
\m
\v 1 Jonah was greatly displeased and became furious.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:1 \ft \+xt Jnh 4:9; Mt 20:15; Lk 15:28\+xt*\f*
\v 2 He prayed to the \nd Lord\nd*,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:2 \ft \+xt Jr 20:7\+xt*\f* “Please, \nd Lord\nd*, isn’t this what I said while I was still in my own country? That’s why I fled toward Tarshish in the first place.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:2 \ft \+xt Jnh 1:3\+xt*\f* I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:2 \ft \+xt Ex 34:6; Nm 14:18; Ps 86:5,15; Jl 2:13\+xt*\f* slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and one who relents from sending disaster.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:2 \ft \+xt Neh 9:17\+xt*\f*
\v 3 And now, \nd Lord\nd*, take my life from me,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:3 \ft \+xt 1Kg 19:4; Jb 6:8–9\+xt*\f* for it is better for me to die than to live.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:3 \ft \+xt Jb 7:15–16; Ec 7:1\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 4 The \nd Lord\nd* asked, “Is it right for you to be angry?~”
\p
\v 5 Jonah left the city and found a place east of it.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:5 \ft \+xt 1Kg 19:9,13\+xt*\f* He made himself a shelter there and sat in its shade to see what would happen to the city.
\v 6 Then the \nd Lord\nd* God appointed a plant, and it grew over Jonah to provide shade for his head to rescue him from his trouble.~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 4:6 \ft Or \fqa disaster\ft , or \fqa evil\f* Jonah was greatly pleased with the plant.
\v 7 When dawn came the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, and it withered.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:7 \ft \+xt Jl 1:12\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 8 As the sun was rising, God appointed a scorching east wind.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:8 \ft \+xt Ezk 19:12; Hs 13:15\+xt*\f* The sun beat down on Jonah’s head~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:8 \ft \+xt Ps 121:6; Is 49:10\+xt*\f* so much that he almost fainted, and he wanted to die. He said, “It’s better for me to die than to live.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:8 \ft \+xt Jnh 4:3\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 9 Then God asked Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?~”
\p “Yes, it’s right!~” he replied. “I’m angry enough to die!~”
\p
\v 10 And the \nd Lord\nd* said, “You cared about the plant, which you did not labor over and did not grow. It appeared in a night and perished in a night.
\v 11 So may I not care about the great city of Nineveh,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:11 \ft \+xt Jnh 3:10\+xt*\f* which has more than a hundred twenty thousand people who cannot distinguish between their right and their left,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:11 \ft \+xt Dt 1:39; Is 7:16\+xt*\f* as well as many animals?~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:11 \ft \+xt Ps 36:6\+xt*\f*
\p
