The Prophet Jonah

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God,

saying: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me. From the belly of Sheol I called for help, and You heard my voice.

For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current swirled about me; all Your breakers and waves swept over me.

At this, I said, ‘I have been banished from Your sight; yet I will look once more toward Your holy temple.’

The waters engulfed me to take my life; the watery depths closed around me; the seaweed wrapped around my head.

To the roots of the mountains I descended; the earth beneath me barred me in forever! But You raised my life from the pit, O LORD my God!

As my life was fading away, I remembered the LORD. My prayer went up to You, to Your holy temple.

Those who cling to worthless idols forsake His loving devotion.(a)

But I, with the voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You. I will fulfill what I have vowed. Salvation is from the LORD!”

And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Footnotes

(a)2:8 Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant.

Then Jonah prayed to the LORD, his God, out of the fish’s belly.

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.

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.

I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’

The waters surrounded me, even to the soul. The deep was around me. The weeds were wrapped around my head.

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.

“When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD. My prayer came in to you, into your holy temple.

Those who regard vain idols forsake their own mercy.

But I will sacrifice to you with the voice of thanksgiving. I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation belongs to the LORD.”

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.