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Jonah Chapter 2 (BSB)

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Jonah Chapter 2 – Jonah's Prayer in the Deep
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1 From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God,

2 saying: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me. From the belly of Sheol I called for help, and You heard my voice.

3 For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current swirled about me; all Your breakers and waves swept over me.

4 At this, I said, ‘I have been banished from Your sight; yet I will look once more toward Your holy temple.’

5 The waters engulfed me to take my life; the watery depths closed around me; the seaweed wrapped around my head.

6 To the roots of the mountains I descended; the earth beneath me barred me in forever! But You raised my life from the pit, O LORD my God!

7 As my life was fading away, I remembered the LORD. My prayer went up to You, to Your holy temple.

8 Those who cling to worthless idols forsake His loving devotion.

9 But I, with the voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You. I will fulfill what I have vowed. Salvation is from the LORD!”

10 And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto 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

And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.

Mark 1:20 | 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.