Jonah’s Prayer

Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside[a] the fish:(A)

I called to the Lord in my distress,(B)
and He answered me.
I cried out for help in the belly of Sheol;(C)
You heard my voice.(D)
You threw me into the depths,(E)
into the heart of the seas,(F)
and the current[b] overcame me.
All Your breakers and Your billows swept over me.(G)
But I said: I have been banished(H)
from Your sight,(I)
yet I will look once more[c]
toward Your holy temple.(J)
The waters 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 with its prison bars closed behind me forever!(N)
But You raised my life(O) from the Pit, Lord my God!(P)
As my life was fading away,(Q)
I remembered Yahweh.(R)
My prayer came to You,(S)
to Your holy temple.(T)
Those who cling to worthless idols(U)
forsake 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] is from the Lord!(Z)

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

Footnotes

  1. Jonah 2:1 Lit from the belly of
  2. Jonah 2:3 Lit river
  3. Jonah 2:4 LXX reads said: Indeed, will I look . . . ?
  4. Jonah 2:5 Or me, threatening my life
  5. Jonah 2:9 Or Deliverance

[a]From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said:

“In my distress I called(A) to the Lord,(B)
    and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead(C) I called for help,
    and you listened to my cry.
You hurled me into the depths,(D)
    into the very heart of the seas,
    and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves(E) and breakers
    swept over me.(F)
I said, ‘I have been banished
    from your sight;(G)
yet I will look again
    toward your holy temple.’(H)
The engulfing waters threatened me,[b]
    the deep surrounded me;
    seaweed was wrapped around my head.(I)
To the roots of the mountains(J) I sank down;
    the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
    brought my life up from the pit.(K)

“When my life was ebbing away,
    I remembered(L) you, Lord,
and my prayer(M) rose to you,
    to your holy temple.(N)

“Those who cling to worthless idols(O)
    turn away from God’s love for them.
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,(P)
    will sacrifice(Q) to you.
What I have vowed(R) I will make good.
    I will say, ‘Salvation(S) comes from the Lord.’”

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

Footnotes

  1. Jonah 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1 is numbered 1:17, and 2:1-10 is numbered 2:2-11.
  2. Jonah 2:5 Or waters were at my throat