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(1:17) Adonai prepared a huge fish to swallow Yonah; and Yonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights. (1) From the belly of the fish Yonah prayed to Adonai his God; (2) he said,

“Out of my distress I called to Adonai,
and he answered me;
from the belly of Sh’ol I cried,
and you heard my voice.
(3) For you threw me into the deep,
into the heart of the seas;
and the flood enveloped me;
all your surging waves passed over me.
(4) I thought, ‘I have been banished from your sight.’
But I will again look at your holy temple.
(5) The water surrounded me, threatened my life;
the deep closed over me, seaweed twined around my head.
(6) I was going down to the bottoms of the mountains,
to a land whose bars would close me in forever;
but you brought me up alive from the pit,
Adonai, my God!
(7) As my life was ebbing away,
I remembered Adonai;
and my prayer came in to you,
into your holy temple.

(8) “Those who worship vain idols
give up their source of mercy;
10 (9) but I, speaking my thanks aloud,
will sacrifice to you;
what I have vowed, I will pay.
Salvation comes from Adonai!”

11 (10) Then Adonai spoke to the fish, and it vomited Yonah out onto dry land.

While Jonah was ·inside [L in the belly/innards of] the fish, he prayed to the Lord his God and said,

“When I was in ·danger [distress],
    I called to the Lord,
    and he answered me.
·I was about to die [L From the belly of Sheol; C the place of the dead],
    so I cried to you,
    and you heard my voice.
You threw me into the ·sea [ocean depths; deep],
    down, down into the ·deep [L heart of the] sea.
The ·water [flood] ·was all around [engulfed] me,
    and your ·powerful [surging; billowing] waves ·flowed [swept] over me.
I said, ‘I was ·driven out of your presence [banished from your sight],
    ·but I hope to see [yet I will look toward] your Holy Temple again.’
The waters of the sea closed around my ·throat [or soul].
    The deep sea ·was all around [surrounded; closed in on] me;
    seaweed was wrapped around my head.
When I ·went [sank] down to ·where the mountains of the sea start to rise [L the roots of the mountains],
    ·I thought I was locked in this prison [the earth’s bars held me] forever,
but you ·saved me [L brought up my life] from the pit of death,
    Lord my God.

“When my life ·had almost gone [was slipping/fainting away],
    I remembered the Lord.
·I prayed [L My prayer went up] to you,
    ·and you heard my prayers in [L in] your Holy Temple.

“People who ·worship [cling to] ·useless [worthless; false] idols
    ·give up their loyalty to you [or forfeit the mercy/lovingkindness that is theirs].
But ·I will praise and thank you
    while I [L with a voice of thanksgiving I will] give sacrifices to you,
    and I will ·keep my promises to you [L pay what I have vowed].
Salvation comes from the Lord!”

10 Then the Lord spoke to the fish, and the fish ·threw up [vomited] Jonah onto the dry land.

Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly,

And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.

For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.

Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.

The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.

I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.

When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.

10 And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

Jonah’s Prayer and God’s Answer

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. And he said:

“I (A)cried out to the Lord because of my affliction,
(B)And He answered me.

“Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
And You heard my voice.
(C)For You cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the floods surrounded me;
(D)All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.
(E)Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight;
Yet I will look again (F)toward Your holy temple.’
The (G)waters surrounded me, even to my soul;
The deep closed around me;
Weeds were wrapped around my head.
I went down to the [a]moorings of the mountains;
The earth with its bars closed behind me forever;
Yet You have brought up my (H)life from the pit,
O Lord, my God.

“When my soul fainted within me,
I remembered the Lord;
(I)And my prayer went up to You,
Into Your holy temple.

“Those who regard (J)worthless idols
Forsake their own [b]Mercy.
But I will (K)sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving;
I will pay what I have (L)vowed.
(M)Salvation is of the (N)Lord.”

10 So the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Footnotes

  1. Jonah 2:6 foundations or bases
  2. Jonah 2:8 Or Lovingkindness