Jonah 1

Jonah Disobeys the Lord

1One day the LORD spoke to Jonah son of Amittai.H1697H3068H3124H1121H573H5592He said, "Go to Nineveh, that great city, and speak out against it; I am aware of how wicked its people are."H6965H3212H5210H1419H5892H7121H7451H5927H64403Jonah, however, set out in the opposite direction in order to get away from the LORD. He went to Joppa, where he found a ship about to go to Spain. He paid his fare and went aboard with the crew to sail to Spain, where he would be away from the LORD.H3124H6965H1272H8659H6440H3068H3381H3305H4672H591H935H8659H5414H7939H3381H935H8659H6440H30684But the LORD sent a strong wind on the sea, and the storm was so violent that the ship was in danger of breaking up.H3068H2904H1419H7307H3220H1419H5591H3220H591H2803H76655The sailors were terrified and cried out for help, each one to his own god. Then, in order to lessen the danger, they threw the cargo overboard. Meanwhile, Jonah had gone below and was lying in the ship's hold, sound asleep.H4419H3372H2199H376H430H2904H3627H591H3220H7043H3124H3381H3411H5600H7901H72906The captain found him there and said to him, "What are you doing asleep? Get up and pray to your god for help. Maybe he will feel sorry for us and spare our lives."H7227H2259H7126H559H7290H6965H7121H430H430H6245H67The sailors said to each other, "Let's draw lots and find out who is to blame for getting us into this danger." They did so, and Jonah's name was drawn.H559H376H7453H3212H5307H1486H3045H7945H7451H5307H1486H1486H5307H31248So they said to him, "Now, then, tell us! Who is to blame for this? What are you doing here? What country do you come from? What is your nationality?"H559H5046H7451H4399H370H935H776H59719"I am a Hebrew," Jonah answered. "I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made land and sea."H559H5680H3373H3068H430H8064H6213H3220H300410Jonah went on to tell them that he was running away from the LORD. The sailors were terrified, and said to him, "That was an awful thing to do!"H582H1419H3374H3372H559H6213H582H3045H1272H6440H3068H504611The storm was getting worse all the time, so the sailors asked him, "What should we do to you to stop the storm?"H559H6213H3220H8367H3220H1980H559012Jonah answered, "Throw me into the sea, and it will calm down. I know it is my fault that you are caught in this violent storm."H559H5375H2904H3220H3220H8367H3045H7945H1419H559113Instead, the sailors tried to get the ship to shore, rowing with all their might. But the storm was becoming worse and worse, and they got nowhere.H582H2864H7725H3004H3201H3220H1980H559014So they cried out to the LORD, "O LORD, we pray, don't punish us with death for taking this man's life! You, O LORD, are responsible for all this; it is your doing."H7121H3068H559H577H3068H6H376H5315H5414H5355H1818H3068H6213H265415Then they picked Jonah up and threw him into the sea, and it calmed down at once.H5375H3124H2904H3220H3220H5975H219716This made the sailors so afraid of the LORD that they offered a sacrifice and promised to serve him.H582H3372H3068H1419H3374H2076H2077H3068H5087H508817At the LORD's command a large fish swallowed Jonah, and he was inside the fish for three days and three nights.H3068H4487H1419H1709H1104H3124H3124H4578H1709H7969H3117H7969H3915