God tells Jonah to go to Nineveh, but he boards a ship heading in the opposite direction. A great storm arises, and Jonah tells the sailors to throw him overboard. The sea calms, and the LORD sends a great fish to swallow Jonah.
1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai , saying ,
2 Arise , go to Nineveh , that great city , and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD , and went down to Joppa ; and he found a ship going to Tarshish : so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD .
4 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea , and there was a mighty tempest in the sea , so that the ship was like to be broken .
5 Then the mariners were afraid , and cried every man unto his god , and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea , to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship ; and he lay , and was fast asleep .
6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper ? arise , call upon thy God , if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
7 And they said every one to his fellow , Come , and let us cast lots , that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots , and the lot fell upon Jonah .
8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation ? and whence comest thou? what is thy country ? and of what people art thou?
9 And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew ; and I fear the LORD , the God of heaven , which hath made the sea and the dry land.
10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid , and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD , because he had told them.
11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought , and was tempestuous .
12 And he said unto them, Take me up , and cast me forth into the sea ; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.
13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land ; but they could not: for the sea wrought , and was tempestuous against them.
14 Wherefore they cried unto the LORD , and said , We beseech thee , O LORD , we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life , and lay not upon us innocent blood : for thou, O LORD , hast done as it pleased thee.
15 So they took up Jonah , and cast him forth into the sea : and the sea ceased from her raging .
16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly , and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD , and made vows .
17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah . And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights .