Jonah 2
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Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly,
2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.
4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.
5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.
7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.
10 And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.
Public Domain KJV text from Wordproject.org
Jonah 2:1-10
Jonah’s Prayer
1Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, 2saying,
“I called out to the Lord, out of my distress,
and he answered me;
out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
and you heard my voice.
3For you cast me into the deep,
into the heart of the seas,
and the flood surrounded me;
all your waves and your billows
passed over me.
4Then I said, ‘I am driven away
from your sight;
yet I shall again look
upon your holy temple.’
5The waters closed in over me to take my life;
the deep surrounded me;
weeds were wrapped about my head
6at the roots of the mountains.
I went down to the land
whose bars closed upon me forever;
yet you brought up my life from the pit,
O Lord my God.
7When my life was fainting away,
I remembered the Lord,
and my prayer came to you,
into your holy temple.
8Those who pay regard to vain idols
forsake their hope of steadfast love.
9But I with the voice of thanksgiving
will sacrifice to you;
what I have vowed I will pay.
Salvation belongs to the Lord!”
10And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.
ESV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Jonah 2:1-10
1From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2He said:
“In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
3You hurled me into the depths,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me.
4I said, ‘I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.’
5The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
6To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
brought my life up from the pit.
7“When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple.
8“Those who cling to worthless idols
turn away from God’s love for them.
9But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’ ”
10And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
NIV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Commentary
Could you imagine the experience of being trapped alive in the belly of a great fish (whale or any similar species) but without certainty of surviving? Jonah cries out, "Out of the belly of hell (Heb. "Sheol," place of the dead) cried I" (Jonah 2:2).
This traumatic experience taught the prophet and us that there is not an improper place or circumstance for praying. "There is no time or place in which it is inappropriate to offer up a petition to God. There is nothing that can prevent us from lifting up our hearts in the spirit of earnest prayer" Steps to Christ, 98. We can pray in any terrible situation, place or circumstance as the prophet did. While praying Jonah described his condition, a situation caused by his disobedience. This description reminds us of humankind’s condition after the fall into sin. In his prayer, Jonah recognized that salvation comes from the Lord.
Thank you, Jesus for your sacrifice on Calvary and provision of salvation to rescue us! Many times, in our individual experience, we suffer the consequences of our own ways and disobedient choices. However, we can always rely on the Lord to bring salvation and healing to our lives. He approaches everybody with forgiveness and salvation, to everybody willing to repent and follow His ways.
Moises Pena-Rivas
Literature Evangelist, Literature Ministry promoter, New Mexico USA (as of this writing)