Jonah Flees from Yahweh’s Presence

Now the word of Yahweh came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying,

Yet Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, and paid its fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh.

But Yahweh hurled a great wind on the sea, and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship gave thought to breaking apart.

And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear Yahweh, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”

Then the men became greatly fearful, and they said to him, “What is this you have done?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of Yahweh because he had told them.

Then they called on Yahweh and said, “Ah! O Yahweh, we earnestly pray, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life, and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O Yahweh, as You have pleased You have done.”

Then the men greatly feared Yahweh, and they offered a sacrifice to Yahweh and made vows.

And Yahweh appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.

Jonah’s Prayer

Then Jonah prayed to Yahweh his God from the stomach of the fish,

and he said, “I called out of my distress to Yahweh, And He answered me. I cried for help from the belly of Sheol; You heard my voice.

I went down to the base of the mountains. The earth with its bars closed behind me forever, But You have brought up my life from the pit, O Yahweh my God.

While my soul was fainting within me, I remembered Yahweh, And my prayer came to You, To Your holy temple.

But as for me, I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to Yahweh.”

Then Yahweh spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.

Ninevites Turn from Their Evil Ways

Now the word of Yahweh came to Jonah the second time, saying,

So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of Yahweh. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days’ walk.

And he prayed to Yahweh and said, “Ah! O Yahweh, was not this my word to myself while I was still in my own land? Therefore I went ahead to flee to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning evil.

So now, O Yahweh, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.”

And Yahweh said, “Do you have good reason to be angry?”

So Yahweh God appointed a plant, and it came up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to deliver him from his miserable evil. And Jonah was extremely glad about the plant.

Then Yahweh said, “You had pity on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came to be overnight and perished overnight.