Jonah's Prayer from the Fish
Study note
Jonah's prayer echoes many of the Psalms. 'The belly of hell' refers to Sheol, the place of the dead. Even at the lowest point possible, Jonah turns his heart back toward God's holy temple in Jerusalem.
1 While trapped inside the belly of the fish, Jonah called out in prayer to the Lord his God. Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,
2 He prayed, "When I was drowning in trouble, I screamed out to the LORD, and he answered me. From the deepest, darkest place imaginable, I begged for help, and you heard me." And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
3 "You tossed me into the deep ocean, right into the heart of the swirling waters. Your waves and currents crashed over me again and again." For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.
4 "I thought to myself, 'I have been thrown out of your sight forever.' But somehow I still had hope that I would see your holy temple again." Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.
5 "Water closed over my head and rose up to my throat. The deep sea wrapped around me like a blanket. Seaweed tangled around my head." The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
6 "I sank all the way down to the base of the underwater mountains. The earth's prison bars locked around me with no escape. But you, LORD my God, pulled my life back up from the brink of death." I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.
7 "As I felt my life slipping away, my thoughts turned to the LORD. My prayer traveled all the way to your holy temple and reached you there." When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
Jonah's Thanksgiving and Rescue
Study note
Jonah contrasts those who cling to worthless idols with his own choice to give thanks and keep his promises to God. God then commands the fish to release Jonah safely onto dry land.
8 "People who worship useless idols are throwing away the mercy that could be theirs." They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
9 "But I will bring my sacrifice to you with a heart full of gratitude. I will keep every promise I made. Rescue and salvation come only from the LORD." But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
10 Then the LORD gave the fish a command, and it spit Jonah out onto dry ground. And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.