Chapter 1
1 Now the LORD ’s word came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying ,
2 " Arise , go to Nineveh , that great city , and proclaim against it , for their wickedness has come up before me ."
3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD . He went down to Joppa , and found a ship going to Tarshish ; so he paid its fare , and went down into it , to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD .
4 But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea , and there was a mighty storm on the sea , so that the ship was likely to break up .
5 Then the mariners were afraid , and every man cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten the ship . But Jonah had gone down into the innermost parts of the ship and he was laying down , and was fast asleep .
6 So the ship master came to him , and said to him , " What do you mean, sleeper ? Arise , call on your God ! Maybe your God will notice us , so that we won’t perish."
7 They all said to each other , " Come ! Let ’s cast lots , that we may know who is responsible for this evil that is on us ." So they cast lots , and the lot fell on Jonah .
8 Then they asked him , " Tell us , please , for whose cause this evil is on us . What is your occupation ? Where do you come from ? What is your country? Of what people are you ?"
9 He said to them , " I am a Hebrew , and I fear the LORD , the God " (Elohim). of heaven , who has made the sea and the dry land ."
10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid , and said to him , " What have you done ?" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD , because he had told them .
11 Then they said to him , " What shall we do to you , that the sea may be calm to us ?" For the sea grew more and more stormy .
12 He said to them , " Take me up , and throw me into the sea . Then the sea will be calm for you ; for I know that because of me this great storm is on you ."
13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to get them back to the land ; but they could not , for the sea grew more and more stormy against them .
14 Therefore they cried to the LORD , and said , " We beg you , LORD , we beg you , don’t let us die for this man ’s life , and don’t lay on us innocent blood ; for you , LORD , have done as it pleased you ."
15 So they took up Jonah and threw him into the sea ; and the sea ceased its raging .
16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly ; and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows .
17 The LORD prepared a huge fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.