Jonah Chapter 1
Conversational Yahveh Covenant
Jonah’s Flight from Yahveh
1 Yahveh told Jonah Ben-Amittai, 2 “Go to Nineveh, that big city, and shout against it; I’ve seen how sinful they are.” 3 But Jonah ran away. 3 He went down to Joppa, found a ship to Tarshish, paid the fare, and boarded.
4 Yahveh hurled a gale on the sea, and it was about to break up the ship. 5 The sailors were scared, and every man cried out to his god. They threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. Jonah had gone below and fallen sound asleep. 6 The captain came and said, “How come you’re sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Maybe he’ll be concerned about us enough to keep us from dying.” 7 They said to one another, “Let’s cast lots to find out who caused this catastrophe to hit us.” They cast lots, and it fell on Jonah. 8 “Tell us, now! Why has this catastrophe fallen on us? What’s your job? What’s your country? Who are your people?” Jon 1:1-8
9 “I’m a Hebrew; I fear Yahveh God of heaven that made the land and sea.”
10 They were really afraid, “How could you do that?” (They knew he was running from Yahveh; he’d told them.) 11 “What should we do to you to stop the sea from raging?” It kept getting worse.
12 “Throw me into the sea. I know it’s my fault this severe storm has come on you.”
13 But they rowed hard, trying to get back to shore, but they couldn’t. The sea was getting even rougher. 14 So they called on Yahveh, “We earnestly pray, Yahveh, not to let us die over this man’s sin. Don’t hold us guilty for throwing him to his death. You’re doing what you wanted.” 15 They picked Jonah up and threw him overboard, and the sea stopped raging. 16 They feared Yahveh greatly and offered sacrifice to him and made vows. Jon 1:9-16
Jonah’s Prayer
17 Yahveh had a big fish swallow Jonah, and he was in its stomach three days and nights.