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

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying,

(A)“I called out to the Lord, out of my distress,
    and he answered me;
(B)out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
    (C)and you heard my voice.
(D)For you cast me into the deep,
    into the heart of the seas,
    and the flood surrounded me;
(E)all your breakers and your waves
    passed over me.
(F)Then I said, ‘I am driven away
    from your sight;
(G)yet I shall again look
    upon your holy temple.’
(H)The waters closed in over me (I)to take my life;
    the deep surrounded me;
weeds were wrapped about my head.
To the roots of the mountains I went down,
    to the land whose bars closed upon me forever.
Yet you brought up my life from the pit,
    O Lord my God.
When my life was fainting away,
    I remembered the Lord,
(J)and my prayer came to you,
    into your holy temple.
(K)Those who pay regard to vain idols
    (L)forsake their hope of steadfast love.
(M)But I with the voice of thanksgiving
    will sacrifice to you;
what I have vowed I will pay.
    (N)Salvation belongs to the Lord!”

10 And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.

Jonah’s Prayer

Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish:(A)

I called to the Lord in my distress,(B)
and he answered me.
I cried out for help from deep inside[a] Sheol;(C)
you heard my voice.(D)
When you threw me into the depths,(E)
into the heart of the seas,(F)
the current[b] overcame me.
All your breakers and your billows swept over me.(G)
And I said, “I have been banished(H)
from your sight,(I)
yet I will look[c] once more
toward your holy temple.”(J)
The water engulfed me up to the neck;[d](K)
the watery depths overcame me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.(L)
I sank to the foundations of the mountains,(M)
the earth’s gates shut behind me forever!(N)
Then you raised my life(O) from the Pit, Lord my God!(P)
As my life was fading away,(Q)
I remembered the Lord,(R)
and my prayer came to you,(S)
to your holy temple.(T)
Those who cherish worthless idols(U)
abandon their faithful love,(V)
but as for me, I will sacrifice(W) to you
with a voice of thanksgiving.(X)
I will fulfill(Y) what I have vowed.
Salvation[e] belongs to the Lord.(Z)

10 Then the Lord commanded the fish,(AA) and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Footnotes

  1. 2:2 Lit from the stomach of
  2. 2:3 Lit river
  3. 2:4 LXX reads sight. Will I look...?
  4. 2:5 Or me, threatening my life
  5. 2:9 Or Deliverance

Jonah’s Prayer

[a]Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God (A)from the stomach of the fish, and he said,

“I (B)called out of my distress to the Lord,
And He answered me.
I cried for help from the [b]depth of (C)Sheol;
You heard my voice.
“For You had (D)cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the current [c]engulfed me.
All Your (E)breakers and billows passed over me.
“So I said, ‘I have been (F)expelled from [d]Your sight.
Nevertheless I will look again (G)toward Your holy temple.’
(H)Water encompassed me to the [e]point of death.
The great (I)deep [f]engulfed me,
Weeds were wrapped around my head.
“I (J)descended to the roots of the mountains.
The earth with its (K)bars was around me forever,
But You have (L)brought up my life from [g]the pit, O Lord my God.
“While [h]I was (M)fainting away,
I (N)remembered the Lord,
And my (O)prayer came to You,
Into (P)Your holy temple.
“Those who (Q)regard [i]vain idols
Forsake their faithfulness,
But I will (R)sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving.
That which I have vowed I will (S)pay.
(T)Salvation is from the Lord.”

10 Then the Lord commanded the (U)fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.

Footnotes

  1. Jonah 2:1 Ch 2:2 in Heb
  2. Jonah 2:2 Lit belly
  3. Jonah 2:3 Lit surrounded
  4. Jonah 2:4 Lit before Your eyes
  5. Jonah 2:5 Lit soul
  6. Jonah 2:5 Lit surrounded
  7. Jonah 2:6 Or corruption
  8. Jonah 2:7 Lit my soul...within me
  9. Jonah 2:8 Lit empty vanities