1 N ow Yahweh’s word came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

The Word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

2 “ Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it, for their wickedness has come up before me.”

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

3 B ut Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid its fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh.

But 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.

4 B ut Yahweh sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty storm on the sea, so that the ship was likely to break up.

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

5 T hen the mariners were afraid, and every man cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone down into the innermost parts of the ship, and he was laying down, and was fast asleep.

The 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.

6 S o the ship master came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God! Maybe your God will notice us, so that we won’t perish.”

So 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.”

7 T hey all said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know who is responsible for this evil that is on us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

Then 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.

8 T hen they asked him, “Tell us, please, for whose cause this evil is on us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? Of what people are you?”

Then 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?”

9 H e said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear Yahweh, the God of heaven, who has made the sea and the dry land.”

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

10 T hen were the men exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “What is this that you have done?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of Yahweh, because he had told them.

Then 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.

11 T hen they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us?” For the sea grew more and more stormy.

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

12 H e said to them, “Take me up, and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will be calm for you; for I know that because of me this great storm is on you.”

Jonah 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.”

13 N evertheless the men rowed hard to get them back to the land; but they could not, for the sea grew more and more stormy against them.

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

14 T herefore they cried to Yahweh, and said, “We beg you, Yahweh, we beg you, don’t let us die for this man’s life, and don’t lay on us innocent blood; for you, Yahweh, have done as it pleased you.”

Then 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.”

15 S o they took up Jonah, and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased its raging.

So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the storm stopped.

16 T hen the men feared Yahweh exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice to Yahweh, and made vows.

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

17 Y ahweh prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

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