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Jonah Chapter 2 (JPS)

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Jonah Chapter 2 (JPS)
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1 And HaShem prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

2 Then Jonah prayed unto HaShem his G-d out of the fish's belly.

3 And he said: I called out of mine affliction unto HaShem, and He answered me; out of the belly of the nether-world cried I, and Thou heardest my voice.

4 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.

5 And I said: 'I am cast out from before Thine eyes'; yet I will look again toward Thy holy temple.

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

7 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars closed upon me for ever; yet hast Thou brought up my life from the pit, O HaShem my G-d.

8 When my soul fainted within me, I remembered HaShem; and my prayer came in unto Thee, into Thy holy temple.

9 They that regard lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

10 But I will sacrifice unto Thee with the voice of thanksgiving; that which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is of HaShem.

11 And HaShem spoke 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

but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and he hath made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these:

Daniel 2:28 | ASV

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