Jonah 1:16
in Jonah 1Then the men feared the LORD greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to Him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then the men feared Jehovah exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice unto Jehovah, and made vows.
KJV
Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows.
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This verse in Jonah 1
Commentary
9 notes on this verse"Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows." LXX: similar. Before the anger of the Lord the sailors implored their gods under the effect of their fear; after his anger they fear the Lord, that is they revere and worship Him. They do not worship Him in the usual way, as we have seen in the beginning, but with "a great fear", according to that which is said: "from all their spirit and all their heart and all their soul" [Deut. 6:5; Mt. 22:37].
This site's exposition
let us not perish for this man’s life
on Jonah 1:14-16
Let us not perish for this man's life is addressed to the Lord by name, pagan sailors now praying to Jonah's own God rather than each to his own god as at verse 5. Once they cast him into the sea and it ceases from her raging, the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows, a turning recorded without a single word of Jonah's own preaching anywhere in the chapter. Calvin and Keil both point out that the sailors end this chapter doing what the reluctant prophet was sent to Nineveh to produce, fearing the Lord and worshipping him, before Jonah has preached to anyone at all.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 -- Second Discourse on the Fear of God · Written before 523.
proposed
And also when those who were with him in the ship saw the marvellous things which took place through God in the sea----for the sea rose up, like a being having intelligence, to demand from them the fugitive servant, and when he had been given …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Feared the Lord - Perhaps as Jonah's casting over-board was a type of Christ's death, so the effect it had upon the mariners might be a type of the conversion of the Heathen from idols unto God. Made vows - Probably they vowed, they would ever worship him whom Jonah preached, the Creator of heaven and earth.
Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly,....
Or it may be meant of the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise, with which God is better pleased than with that of an ox or bullock that has horns and hoofs. We must make vows, not only when we are in the pursuit of mercy, but, which is much more generous, when we have received mercy, as those that are still studying what we shall render.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Offered a sacrifice - The first perhaps ever offered on board a vessel since the ark floated on the waters of the great deluge; and it is most probable that these heathens, witnessing what was done, became sincere converts to the true God.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
offered a sacrifice--They offered some sacrifice of thanksgiving at once, and vowed more when they should land. GLASSIUS thinks it means only, "They promised to offer a sacrifice."
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And the men feared the Lord with a great fear - because, from the tranquility of the sea and the ceasing of the tempest, they saw that the prophet’s words were true. This great miracle completed the conversion of the mariners. God had removed all human cause of fear; and yet, in the same words as before, he says, “they feared a great fear;” but he adds, “the Lord.” It was the great fear, with which even the disciples of Jesus feared, when they saw the miracles which He did, which made even Peter say, Luk 5:8. “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Events full of wonder had thronged upon them; things beyond nature, and contrary to nature; tidings which betokened His presence, Who had all things in His hands. They had seen “wind and storm fulfilling His word” Psa 148:8, and, forerunners of the fishermen of Galilee, knowing full well from their own experience that this was above nature, they felt a great awe of God. So He commanded His people, “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God Deu 6:13, for thy good always” Deu 6:24. And offered a sacrifice - Doubtless, as it was a large decked vessel and bound on a long voyage, they had live creatures on board, which they could offer in sacrifice. But this was not enough for their thankfulness; “they vowed vows.” They promised that they would do thereafter what they could not do then ; “that they would never depart from Him whom they had begun to worship.” This was true love, not to be content with aught which they could do, but to stretch forward in thought to an abiding and enlarged obedience, as God should enable them. And so they were doubtless enrolled among the people of God, firstfruits from among the pagan, won to God Who overrules all things, through the disobedience and repentance of His prophet. […]
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּֽירְא֧וּ | vaiyireu | and they feared | H3372 → | 315 times |
| הָאֲנָשִׁ֛ים | haanashim | the men | H582 → | 566 times |
| יִרְאָ֥ה | yirah | a fear | H3374 → | |
| גְדוֹלָ֖ה | gedolah | great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַיִּֽזְבְּחוּ־ | vaiyizbechu- | and they sacrificed | H2076 → | |
| זֶ֙בַח֙ | zevach | a sacrifice | H2077 → | |
| לַֽיהוָ֔ה | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַֽיִּדְּר֖וּ | vaiyideru | and they vowed | H5087 → | |
| נְדָרִֽים׃ | nedarim | vows | H5088 → |
וַיִּֽירְא֧וּand they feared
vaiyireuH3372 →315 times
הָאֲנָשִׁ֛יםthe men
haanashimH582 →566 times
יִרְאָ֥הa fear
yirahH3374 →
גְדוֹלָ֖הgreat
gedolahH1419 →526 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַיִּֽזְבְּחוּ־and they sacrificed
vaiyizbechu-H2076 →
זֶ֙בַח֙a sacrifice
zevachH2077 →
לַֽיהוָ֔הto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַֽיִּדְּר֖וּand they vowed
vaiyideruH5087 →
נְדָרִֽים׃vows
nedarimH5088 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 50:14Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:15
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 56:12
Your vows are upon me, O God; I will render thank offerings to You.
- Deuteronomy 23:21
If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to keep it, because He will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin.
- Psalms 107:21–22
Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.
- Psalms 116:12–14
How can I repay the LORD for all His goodness to me?
- Hebrews 13:15
Through
Daniel 6:26I hereby decree that in every part of my kingdom, men are to tremble in fear before the God of Daniel: For He is the living God, and He endures forever; His kingdom will…
it leads to
- Daniel 4:34
But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives…
- Luke 1:33
and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!”
- Daniel 4:34
Through
Genesis 8:20Then Noah built an altar to the LORD. And taking from every kind of clean animal and clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:15–16
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.
- Hebrews 13:15–16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
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About Jonah
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, The Twelve Minor Prophets; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jonah, Chapter 1; John Calvin, Commentaries on the Twelve Minor Prophets; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 -- Second Discourse on the Fear of God.