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Jonah Chapter 2 (DRC)

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Jonah Chapter 2 – Jonah's Prayer in the Deep
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1 Now the Lord prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah: and Jonah was in the belly of a fish for three days and three nights.

2 And Jonah prayed to the Lord, his God, out of the belly of the fish.

3 And he said: I cried out of my affliction to the Lord, and he heard me: I cried out of the belly of hell, and thou hast heard my voice.

4 And thou hast cast me forth into the deep, in the heart of the sea, and a flood hast compassed me: all thy billows, and thy waves have passed over me.

5 And I said: I am cast away out of the sight of thy eyes: but yet I shall see the holy temple again.

6 The waters compassed me about even to the soul: the deep hath closed me round about, the sea hath covered my head.

7 I went down to the lowest parts of the mountains: the bars of the earth have shut me up for ever: and thou wilt bring up my life from corruption, O Lord, my God.

8 When my soul was in distress within me, I remembered the Lord: that my prayer may come to thee, unto the holy temple.

9 They that in vain observe vanities, forsake their own mercy.

10 But I with the voice of praise will sacrifice to thee: I will pay whatsoever I have vowed for my salvation to the Lord.

11 And the Lord spoke to 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

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.