Jonah (Ch.1)

The Book of Jonah begins with the Lord calling Jonah to go into the city of Nineveh and preach against the wickeness of the inhabitants of that city; instead, Jonah runs away, and catches a ship bound for Tarshish (ancient Spain?). The Lord, still intending for Jonah to go to Ninevah, sends a storm to slow the ship; Jonah is thrown overboard by the fearful crew and swallowed by a great fish, where he remained for three days and nights.

Text of Jonah, chapter 1[edit]

Text is from the Authorized (King James) Version of the Bible

1:1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

1:2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

1:3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

1:4 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

1:5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

1:6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

1:7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

1:8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

1:9 And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.

1:10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

1:11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

1:12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

1:13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.

1:14 Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.

1:15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

1:16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.

1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Text is from the King James 2000 version

1:1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

1:2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.

1:3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid its fare, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

1:4 But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken.

1:5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah had gone down into the lower part of the ship; and he had lain down, and was fast asleep.

1:6 So the captain came to him, and said unto him, What mean you, O sleeper? arise, call upon your God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

1:7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

1:8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray you, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is your occupation? and from where come you? what is your country? and of what people are you?

1:9 And he said unto them, I am a Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who has made the sea and the dry land.

1:10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why have you done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

1:11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto you, that the sea may be calm for us? for the sea raged, and was tempestuous.

1:12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm for you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

1:13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea raged, and was tempestuous against them.

1:14 Therefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, 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.

1:15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from its raging.

1:16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.

1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Text is from the Hebrew (Tanakh) Bible

1:1 ויהי דבר־יהוה אל־יונה בן־אמתי לאמר׃

1:2 קום לך אל־נינוה העיר הגדולה וקרא עליה כי־עלתה רעתם לפני׃

1:3 ויקם יונה לברח תרשׁישׁה מלפני יהוה וירד יפו וימצא אניה באה תרשׁישׁ ויתן שׂכרה וירד בה לבוא עמהם תרשׁישׁה מלפני יהוה׃

1:4 ויהוה הטיל רוח־גדולה אל־הים ויהי סער־גדול בים והאניה חשׁבה להשׁבר׃

1:5 וייראו המלחים ויזעקו אישׁ אל־אלהיו ויטלו את־הכלים אשׁר באניה אל־הים להקל מעליהם ויונה ירד אל־ירכתי הספינה וישׁכב וירדם׃

1:6 ויקרב אליו רב החבל ויאמר לו מה־לך נרדם קום קרא אל־אלהיך אולי יתעשׁת האלהים לנו ולא נאבד׃

1:7 ויאמרו אישׁ אל־רעהו לכו ונפילה גורלות ונדעה בשׁלמי הרעה הזאת לנו ויפלו גורלות ויפל הגורל על־יונה׃

1:8 ויאמרו אליו הגידה־נא לנו באשׁר למי־הרעה הזאת לנו מה־מלאכתך ומאין תבוא מה ארצך ואי־מזה עם אתה׃

1:9 ויאמר אליהם עברי אנכי ואת־יהוה אלהי השׁמים אני ירא אשׁר־עשׂה את־הים ואת־היבשׁה׃

1:10 וייראו האנשׁים יראה גדולה ויאמרו אליו מה־זאת עשׂית כי־ידעו האנשׁים כי־מלפני יהוה הוא ברח כי הגיד להם׃

1:11 ויאמרו אליו מה־נעשׂה לך וישׁתק הים מעלינו כי הים הולך וסער׃

1:12 ויאמר אליהם שׂאוני והטילני אל־הים וישׁתק הים מעליכם כי יודע אני כי בשׁלי הסער הגדול הזה עליכם׃

1:13 ויחתרו האנשׁים להשׁיב אל־היבשׁה ולא יכלו כי הים הולך וסער עליהם׃

1:14 ויקראו אל־יהוה ויאמרו אנה יהוה אל־נא נאבדה בנפשׁ האישׁ הזה ואל־תתן עלינו דם נקיא כי־אתה יהוה כאשׁר חפצת עשׂית׃

1:15 וישׂאו את־יונה ויטלהו אל־הים ויעמד הים מזעפו׃

1:16 וייראו האנשׁים יראה גדולה את־יהוה ויזבחו־זבח ליהוה וידרו נדרים׃

1:17 (2:1) וימן יהוה דג גדול לבלע את־יונה ויהי יונה במעי הדג שׁלשׁה ימים ושׁלשׁה לילות׃

Text is from the Latin Vulgate

1:1 et factum est verbum Domini ad Ionam filium Amathi dicens

1:2 surge vade in Nineven civitatem grandem et praedica in ea quia ascendit malitia eius coram me

1:3 et surrexit Iona ut fugeret in Tharsis a facie Domini et descendit Ioppen et invenit navem euntem in Tharsis et dedit naulum eius et descendit in eam ut iret cum eis in Tharsis a facie Domini

1:4 Dominus autem misit ventum magnum in mari et facta est tempestas magna in mari et navis periclitabatur conteri

1:5 et timuerunt nautae et clamaverunt viri ad deum suum et miserunt vasa quae erant in navi in mare ut adleviaretur ab eis et Iona descendit ad interiora navis et dormiebat sopore gravi

1:6 et accessit ad eum gubernator et dixit ei quid tu sopore deprimeris surge invoca Deum tuum si forte recogitet Deus de nobis et non pereamus

1:7 et dixit vir ad collegam suum venite et mittamus sortes et sciamus quare hoc malum sit nobis et miserunt sortes et cecidit sors super Ionam

1:8 et dixerunt ad eum indica nobis cuius causa malum istud sit nobis quod est opus tuum quae terra tua et quo vel ex quo populo es tu

1:9 et dixit ad eos Hebraeus ego sum et Dominum Deum caeli ego timeo qui fecit mare et aridam

1:10 et timuerunt viri timore magno et dixerunt ad eum quid hoc fecisti cognoverunt enim viri quod a facie Domini fugeret quia indicaverat eis

1:11 et dixerunt ad eum quid faciemus tibi et cessabit mare a nobis quia mare ibat et intumescebat

1:12 et dixit ad eos tollite me et mittite in mare et cessabit mare a vobis scio enim ego quoniam propter me tempestas grandis haec super vos

1:13 et remigabant viri ut reverterentur ad aridam et non valebant quia mare ibat et intumescebat super eos

1:14 et clamaverunt ad Dominum et dixerunt quaesumus Domine ne pereamus in anima viri istius et ne des super nos sanguinem innocentem quia tu Domine sicut voluisti fecisti

1:15 et tulerunt Ionam et miserunt in mare et stetit mare a fervore suo

1:16 et timuerunt viri timore magno Dominum et immolaverunt hostias Domino et voverunt vota

1:17 (2:1) et praeparavit Dominus piscem grandem ut degluttiret Ionam et erat Iona in ventre piscis tribus diebus et tribus noctibus