Jonahchapter 2

Jonah Is Spewed Forth by the Whale — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

A.I cried out of the belly of Sheol and he heard mevv. 1-2

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.

B.Cast into the deep, weeds wrapped about my headvv. 3-6

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!

C.Salvation belongs to the LORD — and the fish lets him govv. 7-10

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.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

A psalm prayed from inside the fish, stitched almost entirely out of the Psalter.

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴

A psalm prayed from inside the fish, stitched almost entirely out of the Psalter. 'Out of the belly of Sheol cried I, and thou heardest my voice.' He describes drowning as God's own doing ('all thy waves and thy billows passed over me') and finds in the worst moment the one act of faith the book has shown so far: 'I am cast out from before thine eyes; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.' Weeds wrapped about his head, the bars of the earth closing on him, and still: thou hast brought up my life from the pit. The prayer ends in the book's thesis: 'Salvation is of Jehovah.'

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Prophecy · Jonah — Jonah overview

A. 1–2 I cried out of the belly of Sheol and he heard me
B. 3–6 Cast into the deep, weeds wrapped about my head
C. 7–10 Salvation belongs to the LORD — and the fish lets him go

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Lamentations 32 verses
- Lamentations 3:53They dropped me alive into a pit and cast stones upon me.
- Lamentations 3:54The waters flowed over my head, and I thought I was going to die.
- Read Lamentations 3 →
Psalms 182 verses
- Psalms 18:4The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.
- Psalms 18:6In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for His help reached His ears.
- Read Psalms 18 →
Psalms 312 verses
- Psalms 31:6I hate those who cling to worthless idols, but in the LORD I trust.
- Psalms 31:22In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from Your sight!” But You heard my plea for mercy when I called to You for help.
- Read Psalms 31 →
Psalms 691 verse
- Psalms 69:1Save me, O God, for the waters are up to my neck.
- Read Psalms 69 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Psalms 1301 verse
- Psalms 130:1Out of the depths I cry to You, O LORD!
- Read Psalms 130 →
Psalms 911 verse
- Psalms 91:15When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.
- Read Psalms 91 →
Psalms 1201 verse
- Psalms 120:1In my distress I cried to the LORD, and He answered me.
- Read Psalms 120 →
Psalms 341 verse
- Psalms 34:6This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.
- Read Psalms 34 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.