4 | Jonah
Jonah | 4
you, Lord, have done as you pleased.” Then they took Jonah and
threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. At this the men
greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrif ice to the Lord and
made vows to him.
Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was
in the belly of the fish three days and t hree nights. From inside the
fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said:
“In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called
for help,
and you listened to my cry.
You hurled me into the depths,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me.
I said, ‘I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.’
The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
brought my life up from the pit.
“When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple.
“Those who cling to worthless idols
turn away from God’s love for them.
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
1:15–2:9
1:15–2:9