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Jonah’s Prayer for Deliverance

[a]Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the sea creature. He said:

“I called out to the Lord from the midst of affliction directed at me,[b]
    and he answered me.
From the depths[c] of death[d] I cried out for help;
    and you heard my cry.[e]
You cast me into the deep—
    into the heart of the sea.
Flood waters engulfed me.
    All your breakers and your waves swirled over me.
So I told myself,[f] ‘I have been driven away from you.[g]
    How[h] will I again gaze on your holy Temple?’
Flood waters encompassed me,
    the deep surrounded me
        while seaweed wrapped around my head.
I sank to the roots of the mountains;
    the earth’s prison[i] bars closed[j] around me forever.
        Yet you resurrect the dead[k] from the Pit,[l] Lord my God!

“As my life was fading away,
    I remembered the Lord;
        and my prayer came to you in your holy Temple.
Those who cling to vain idols
    leave behind the gracious love that could have been theirs.[m]
But as for me, with a voice of thanksgiving I will sacrifice to you;
    what I have vowed I will pay.
Deliverance[n] is the Lord’s!”

10 Then the Lord spoke to the sea creature, and it spewed Jonah onto the dry land.

Footnotes

  1. Jonah 2:1 2:1 is 2:2 in MT, 2:2 is 2:3 in MT, and so through vs. 10
  2. Jonah 2:2 Lit. affliction to me
  3. Jonah 2:2 Lit. belly
  4. Jonah 2:2 Heb. Sheol; i.e. the realm of the dead
  5. Jonah 2:2 Or voice
  6. Jonah 2:4 Or I thought
  7. Jonah 2:4 Lit. from your attention
  8. Jonah 2:4 Lit. Indeed, surely
  9. Jonah 2:6 The Heb. lacks prison
  10. Jonah 2:6 The Heb. lacks closed
  11. Jonah 2:6 Lit. you bring life up
  12. Jonah 2:6 I.e. the place of punishment in the afterlife
  13. Jonah 2:8 Or leave behind their gracious love
  14. Jonah 2:9 Or Salvation

[a]From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said:

“In my distress I called(A) to the Lord,(B)
    and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead(C) I called for help,
    and you listened to my cry.
You hurled me into the depths,(D)
    into the very heart of the seas,
    and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves(E) and breakers
    swept over me.(F)
I said, ‘I have been banished
    from your sight;(G)
yet I will look again
    toward your holy temple.’(H)
The engulfing waters threatened me,[b]
    the deep surrounded me;
    seaweed was wrapped around my head.(I)
To the roots of the mountains(J) I sank down;
    the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
    brought my life up from the pit.(K)

“When my life was ebbing away,
    I remembered(L) you, Lord,
and my prayer(M) rose to you,
    to your holy temple.(N)

“Those who cling to worthless idols(O)
    turn away from God’s love for them.
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,(P)
    will sacrifice(Q) to you.
What I have vowed(R) I will make good.
    I will say, ‘Salvation(S) comes from the Lord.’”

10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Footnotes

  1. Jonah 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1 is numbered 1:17, and 2:1-10 is numbered 2:2-11.
  2. Jonah 2:5 Or waters were at my throat