Focused Passage

Jonah 2:1-10

Prayer from the Depths and Deliverance by the LORD

From deathlike confinement, to remembered distress, to renewed hope toward the LORD's temple, to confession that salvation belongs to the LORD, to release onto dry land.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God,

2 saying: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me. From the belly of Sheol I called for help, and You heard my voice.

3 For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current swirled about me; all Your breakers and waves swept over me.

4 At this, I said, ‘I have been banished from Your sight; yet I will look once more toward Your holy temple.’

5 The waters engulfed me to take my life; the watery depths closed around me; the seaweed wrapped around my head.

6 To the roots of the mountains I descended; the earth beneath me barred me in forever! But You raised my life from the pit, O LORD my God!

7 As my life was fading away, I remembered the LORD. My prayer went up to You, to Your holy temple.

8 Those who cling to worthless idols forsake His loving devotion.

9 But I, with the voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You. I will fulfill what I have vowed. Salvation is from the LORD!”

10 And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

From inside מִמְּעֵ֖י H4578 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct the fish הַדָּגָֽה׃ H1710 Article | Noun - feminine singular Jonah יוֹנָ֔ה H3124 Noun - proper - masculine singular prayed וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֣ל H6419 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular his God אֱלֹהָ֑יו H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 2

Original words

saying וַיֹּ֗אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular In my distress מִצָּ֥רָה H6869 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular I called קָ֠רָאתִי H7121 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular and He answered me וַֽיַּעֲנֵ֑נִי H6030 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular From the belly מִבֶּ֧טֶן H990 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct of Sheol שְׁא֛וֹל H7585 Noun - common singular I called for help שִׁוַּ֖עְתִּי H7768 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular [and] You heard שָׁמַ֥עְתָּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular my voice קוֹלִֽי׃ H6963 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 3

Original words

For You cast me וַתַּשְׁלִיכֵ֤נִי H7993 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singular into the deep מְצוּלָה֙ H4688 Noun - feminine singular into the heart בִּלְבַ֣ב H3824 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of the seas יַמִּ֔ים H3220 Noun - masculine plural and the current וְנָהָ֖ר H5104 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular swirled about me יְסֹבְבֵ֑נִי H5437 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct Your breakers מִשְׁבָּרֶ֥יךָ H4867 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular and waves וְגַלֶּ֖יךָ H1530 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular swept עָבָֽרוּ׃ H5674 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural over me עָלַ֥י H5921 Preposition | first person common singular
Verse 4

Original words

At this, I וַאֲנִ֣י H589 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular said אָמַ֔רְתִּי H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular I have been banished נִגְרַ֖שְׁתִּי H1644 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular from מִנֶּ֣גֶד H5048 Preposition-m Your sight עֵינֶ֑יךָ H5869 Noun - cdc | second person masculine singular yet אַ֚ךְ H389 Adverb I will look לְהַבִּ֔יט H5027 Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct once more אוֹסִ֣יף H3254 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular toward אֶל־ H413 Preposition Your holy קָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃ H6944 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular temple הֵיכַ֖ל H1964 Noun - masculine singular construct
Verse 5

Original words

The waters מַ֙יִם֙ H4325 Noun - masculine plural engulfed me אֲפָפ֤וּנִי H661 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | first person common singular to take עַד־ H5704 Preposition my life נֶ֔פֶשׁ H5315 Noun - feminine singular the watery depths תְּה֖וֹם H8415 Noun - common singular closed around me יְסֹבְבֵ֑נִי H5437 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular the seaweed ס֖וּף H5488 Noun - masculine singular wrapped חָב֥וּשׁ H2280 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular around my head לְרֹאשִֽׁי׃ H7218 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 6

Original words

To the roots לְקִצְבֵ֤י H7095 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct of the mountains הָרִים֙ H2022 Noun - masculine plural I descended יָרַ֔דְתִּי H3381 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular the earth הָאָ֛רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular beneath me בַעֲדִ֖י H1157 Preposition | first person common singular barred me in בְּרִחֶ֥יהָ H1280 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular forever לְעוֹלָ֑ם H5769 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular But You raised וַתַּ֧עַל H5927 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular my life חַיַּ֖י H2416 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular from the pit מִשַּׁ֛חַת H7845 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular O LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular my God אֱלֹהָֽי׃ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Verse 7

Original words

As my life נַפְשִׁ֔י H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker was fading away בְּהִתְעַטֵּ֤ף H5848 Preposition-b | Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive construct . . . עָלַי֙ H5921 Preposition | first person common singular I remembered זָכָ֑רְתִּי H2142 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular My prayer תְּפִלָּתִ֔י H8605 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular went up וַתָּב֤וֹא H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular to You אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ H413 Preposition | second person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Your holy קָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃ H6944 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular temple הֵיכַ֖ל H1964 Noun - masculine singular construct
Verse 8

Original words

Those who cling to מְשַׁמְּרִ֖ים H8104 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural worthless שָׁ֑וְא H7723 Noun - masculine singular idols הַבְלֵי־ H1892 Noun - masculine plural construct forsake יַעֲזֹֽבוּ׃ H5800 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural [His] loving devotion חַסְדָּ֖ם H2617 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural

BSB notes

  • Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant.
Verse 9

Original words

But I וַאֲנִ֗י H589 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular with the voice בְּק֤וֹל H6963 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of thanksgiving תּוֹדָה֙ H8426 Noun - feminine singular will sacrifice אֶזְבְּחָה־ H2076 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular to You לָּ֔ךְ Preposition | second person feminine singular I will fulfill אֲשַׁלֵּ֑מָה H7999 Verb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular what אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative I have vowed נָדַ֖רְתִּי H5087 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Salvation יְשׁוּעָ֖תָה H3444 Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singular is from the LORD לַיהוָֽה׃ס H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

And the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular commanded וַיֹּ֥אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular the fish לַדָּ֑ג H1709 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular and it vomited וַיָּקֵ֥א H6958 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker Jonah יוֹנָ֖ה H3124 Noun - proper - masculine singular onto אֶל־ H413 Preposition dry land הַיַּבָּשָֽׁה׃פ H3004 Article | Noun - feminine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.