Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah - son of Amittai , saying ,
“ Get up ! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it , because its wickedness has come up before Me. ”
Jonah -, however , got up to flee to Tarshish , away from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard to sail ... for Tarshish , away from the presence of the LORD.
Then the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea , and such a violent storm arose - that the ship was in danger of breaking apart.
The sailors were afraid , and each cried out to his own god. And they threw - the ship’s cargo - into the sea to lighten the load. But Jonah - had gone down to the lowest part of the vessel , where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.
The captain ... approached him and said “ How sleep ? Get up (and) call upon your God. Perhaps this God will consider so that we may not perish. ”
“ Come ! ” said the sailors to one another. “ Let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity So they cast lots , and the lot fell on Jonah -.
“ Tell now , ” they demanded - , “ who is to blame for this calamity What (is) your occupation , and where have you come from ? What is your country , and who ... are your people ? ”
“ I am - a Hebrew , ” replied Jonah - .... “ I worship the LORD , the God of the heavens , who made - the sea - and the dry land. ”
Then the men were even more afraid ... and said to him , “ What - have you done ? ” The men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD , because he had told
Now the sea was growing worse and worse , so they said to (Jonah -) , “ What must we do to calm this sea for us ? ”
“ Pick me up , ” he answered , - “ and cast me into the sea , so it may quiet down for you. For I know that for this violent storm that has come upon you. ”
Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land , but they could not , for the sea was raging against them more and more.
So they cried out to the LORD ... : “ Please , O LORD , do not ... let us perish on account of this man’s life ! Do not charge us with innocent blood ! For You , O LORD , have done as You pleased. ”
At this, they picked up - Jonah - and cast him into the sea , and the raging sea grew calm.
Then the men ... feared the LORD greatly , - and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows (to Him).
Now the LORD had appointed a great fish to swallow - Jonah - , and Jonah - spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish.