Jonah

1 And the word of Yahweh came unto Jonah son of Amittai saying:

2 Arise, get thee to Nineveh the great city and proclaim unto it,—That their wickedness hath come up before me.

3 But Jonah arose to flee unto Tarshish, away from the presence of Yahweh,—and went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish, so he paid the fare thereof and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of Yahweh.

4 But Yahweh hurled a great wind against the sea,—and there arose a mighty tempest in the sea,—and the ship thought to be broken in pieces.

5 Then were the mariners afraid and made outcry every man unto his own god, and they hurled the wares which were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them,—but Jonah had gone down into the hinder parts of the vessel, and had lain down and fallen into a sound sleep.

6 Then drew near unto him the shipmaster, and said to him, What meanest thou, O sound sleeper? Arise, cry unto thy God, Peradventure God will bethink himself of us that we perish not.

7 And they said—every one unto his fellow, Come and let us cast lots, that we may get to know for whose sake this calamity 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 sake this calamity is upon us? What is thy business? and from whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

9 And he said unto them, A Hebrew am I,—and Yahweh the God of the heavens do I revere, him who made the sea and the dry land.

10 Then did the men revere with great reverence, and said unto him, What is it thou hast done? For the men knew that away from the presence of Yahweh he was fleeing,—for he had told them.

11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do to thee, that the sea may cease raging over us? For the sea was raging more and more.

12 And he said unto them, Take me up and hurl me into the sea, that the sea may cease raging over you,—for I do know that for my sake is this great tempest upon you.

13 Nevertheless the men wrought hard to bring it back unto the land but could not,—for the sea was raging over them more and more.

14 Then cried they unto Yahweh and said, Ah now, Yahweh, pray let it not be that we perish for this man’s life, neither lay upon us innocent blood,—for thou O Yahweh as thou hast pleased hast ever done.

15 So they took up Jonah and hurled him into the sea,—and the sea left off her roaring.

16 Then did the men revere Yahweh with a great reverence,—and offered sacrifice to Yahweh, and vowed vows.

17 Now Yahweh had appointed a great fish, to swallow up Jonah,—and Jonah was in the belly of the fish, three days and three nights.