Jonah Flees by Sea

1 And this was the word of⁠a prophecy from the LORD to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Get up, go to Nineveh, the great city, and prophesy against it, for their evil has risen before Me.” 3 And Jonah got up to flee by sea⁠b before he would prophesy in the name of the LORD, and went down to Joppa and found a ship that was heading out to sea, and he paid the fare and went aboard to go with them by sea before he would prophesy in the name of the LORD.

4 And the LORD raised a great wind on the sea, and there was a great storm at sea, and the boat was about to break apart. 5 And the sailors were afraid, and each man pleaded with his idol, and they saw that it was of no use, and they threw the cargo that was on the ship into the sea to lighten it, and Jonah had gone down to the lowest part of the ship’s hold and lay down and slept.

6 And the captain of the sailors came to him and said to him, “Why are you sleeping? Get up, pray before your God! Perhaps the LORD will⁠c have mercy on us, and we will not be lost!”

7 And they said, to one another, “Come, let’s cast lots, and we’ll know whose fault this disaster is.” And they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

8 And they said to him, “Tell us now, whose fault is this disaster? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country, and what people do you belong to?”

9 And he said to them, “I am a⁠d Jew, and I revere the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”

10 And the men were terrified, and said to him, “What have you done?” because the men knew that he was fleeing from the LORD, since he had told them.

11 And they said to him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm around us?” For the sea was growing more and more stormy.

12 And he said to them, “Lift me up and throw me into the sea, and the sea will calm down around you. For I know that it is because of me that this great storm has come upon you.”

13 And the men rowed to get back to dry land, but they could not, because the sea was growing more and more stormy around them.

14 And they prayed before the LORD and said, “Hear our pleas, LORD! Please do not let us die for taking this man’s life, and do not hold us guilty of shedding innocent blood! For You are the LORD. You do whatever pleases You!”

15 And they lifted up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea calmed from its storm. 16 And the men felt great reverence for the LORD, and they said they would offer sacrifices before the LORD and make vows.