1 T he Word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

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

2 “ Get up and go to the large city of Nineveh, and preach against it. For their sin has come up before Me.”

Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.

3 B ut Jonah ran away from the Lord going toward Tarshish. He went down to Joppa and found a ship which was going to Tarshish. Jonah paid money, and got on the ship to go with them, to get away from the Lord.

But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from being in the presence of the Lord and went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the appointed fare and went down into the ship to go with them to Tarshish from being in the presence of the Lord.

4 T hen the Lord sent a powerful wind upon the sea, and there was such a big storm that the ship was about to break up.

But the Lord sent out a great wind upon the sea, and there was a violent tempest on the sea so that the ship was about to be broken.

5 T he sailors became afraid, and every man cried to his god. They threw the things that were in the ship into the sea so that it would not be so heavy. But Jonah had gone below in the ship and had lain down and fallen asleep.

Then the mariners were afraid, and each man cried to his god; and they cast the goods that were in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep.

6 S o the captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god. It may be that your god will care about us, and we will not die.”

So the captain came and said to him, What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call upon your God! Perhaps your God will give a thought to us so that we shall not perish.

7 T hen the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us draw names so we can find out who is to blame for this trouble.” So they drew names, and Jonah’s name was drawn.

And they each said to one another, Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us. So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

8 T hen they said to him, “Now tell us! Who is to blame for this? What is your work? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”

Then they said to him, Tell us, we pray you, on whose account has this evil come upon us? What is your occupation? Where did you come from? And what is your country and nationality?

9 J onah said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I worship the Lord God of heaven Who made the sea and the dry land.”

And he said to them, I am a Hebrew, and I fear and worship the Lord, the God of heaven, Who made the sea and the dry land.

10 T hen the men were filled with fear and said to him, “How could you do this?” For the men knew that he was running away from the Lord, because he had told them.

Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, What is this that you have done? For the men knew that he fled from being in the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.

11 S o they said to him, “What should we do to you to make the sea quiet down for us?” For the storm was getting worse.

Then they said to him, What shall we do to you, that the sea may subside and be calm for us? For the sea became more and more tempestuous.

12 J onah said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will quiet down for you. For I know that this bad storm has come upon you because of me.”

And said to them, Take me up and cast me into the sea; so shall the sea become calm for you, for I know that it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.

13 T he men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the wind was blowing even worse against them.

Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring the ship to the land, but they could not, for the sea became more and more violent against them.

14 T hen they called on the Lord and said, “We beg You, O Lord, do not let us die for what this man has done. And do not let us become guilty for killing someone who is not to blame. For You, O Lord, have done as You have pleased.”

Therefore they cried to the Lord, We beseech You, O Lord, we beseech You, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood; for You, O Lord, have done as it pleased You.

15 S o they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the storm stopped.

So they took up Jonah and cast him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.

16 T hen the men feared the Lord very much. They gave a gift in worship to the Lord and made promises to Him.

Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.

17 T he Lord sent a big fish to swallow Jonah, and he was in the stomach of the fish for three days and three nights.

Now the Lord had prepared and appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.