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Jonah Chapter 2 (ASV)

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Jonah Chapter 2 – Jonah's Prayer in the Deep
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1 Then Jonah prayed unto Jehovah his God out of the fish's belly.

2 And he said, I called by reason of mine affliction unto Jehovah, And he answered me; Out of the belly of Sheol cried I, `And' thou heardest my voice.

3 For thou didst cast me into the depth, in the heart of the seas, And the flood was round about me; All thy waves and thy billows passed over me.

4 And I said, I am cast out from before thine eyes; Yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.

5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul; The deep was round about me; The weeds were wrapped about my head.

6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; The earth with its bars `closed' upon me for ever: Yet hast thou brought up my life from the pit, O Jehovah my God.

7 When my soul fainted within me, I remembered Jehovah; And my prayer came in unto thee, into thy holy temple.

8 They that regard lying vanities Forsake their own mercy.

9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation is of Jehovah.

10 And Jehovah spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Jonah pray about inside the fish?
He describes being cast into the deep, with "the floods" compassing him about and "all thy billows and thy waves" passing over him (v.2-3), yet says God heard him "out of the belly of hell" (v.2).
What does 'out of the belly of hell cried I' mean in verse 2?
It's poetic language for the depth of Jonah's distress and near-death experience in the deep sea, similar in intensity to the imagery of being engulfed by death's floods in Psalms 18:4-6.
How does chapter 2 end?
Jonah's prayer closes with "Salvation is of the LORD" (v.9), and immediately after, "the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land" (v.10).

Today's Verse

Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;

Ezekiel 17:2 | ASV

Verse Of The Day

Even at the bottom of the sea Jonah recalls, "I will look again toward thy holy temple," and his prayer turns to thanksgiving with "Salvation is of the LORD" just before the fish vomits him onto dry land, setting up Jonah 3. Compare his drowning imagery to Psalms 18:4-6.