Add parallel Print Page Options

Now Adonai prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.[a][b]

Jonah’s Prayer of Distress

Then Jonah prayed to Adonai his God from the belly of the fish, saying:

“From my distress I cried to Adonai
    and He answered me.
From the belly of Sheol I cried for help
    and you heard my voice.[c]
For you hurled me from the deep
        into the heart of the seas,
    and currents swirled around me.
All your waves and your breakers
    swept over me.”
And I said, “I have been banished
        from before your eyes.
    Yet I will continue to look
        toward your holy Temple.”
Waters surrounded me up to my soul.
    The deep sea engulfed me—
        reeds clung to my head.
To the bottoms of the mountains I went down.
    The earth with her bars was around me, forever!
    Yet You brought my life up from the Pit,
        Adonai my God.
As my soul was fading from me,
    I remembered Adonai
    and my prayer came to You,
        toward Your holy Temple.
Those who watch worthless empty things
    forsake their mercy.
10 But I, with a voice of thanks
        will sacrifice to you.
    What I vowed, I will pay.
    Salvation is from Adonai.”

11 Then Adonai spoke to the fish and it vomited Jonah onto the dry land.

Footnotes

  1. Jonah 2:1 Most translations, 2:1 is 1:17.
  2. Jonah 2:1 cf. Matt. 12:40; 16:4.
  3. Jonah 2:3 cf. Acts 13:35.

[a]From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said:

“In my distress I called(A) to the Lord,(B)
    and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead(C) I called for help,
    and you listened to my cry.
You hurled me into the depths,(D)
    into the very heart of the seas,
    and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves(E) and breakers
    swept over me.(F)
I said, ‘I have been banished
    from your sight;(G)
yet I will look again
    toward your holy temple.’(H)
The engulfing waters threatened me,[b]
    the deep surrounded me;
    seaweed was wrapped around my head.(I)
To the roots of the mountains(J) I sank down;
    the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
    brought my life up from the pit.(K)

“When my life was ebbing away,
    I remembered(L) you, Lord,
and my prayer(M) rose to you,
    to your holy temple.(N)

“Those who cling to worthless idols(O)
    turn away from God’s love for them.
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,(P)
    will sacrifice(Q) to you.
What I have vowed(R) I will make good.
    I will say, ‘Salvation(S) comes from the Lord.’”

10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Footnotes

  1. Jonah 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1 is numbered 1:17, and 2:1-10 is numbered 2:2-11.
  2. Jonah 2:5 Or waters were at my throat