Jonah’s Prayer

[a]Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God (A)from the stomach of the fish, and he said,

“I (B)called out of my distress to the Lord,
And He answered me.
I called for help from the [b]depth of (C)Sheol;
You heard my voice.
For You (D)threw me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the current flowed around me.
All Your (E)breakers and waves passed over me.
So I said, ‘I have been (F)cast out [c]of Your sight.
Nevertheless I will look again (G)toward Your holy temple.’
(H)Water encompassed me to the [d]point of death.
The (I)deep flowed around me,
Seaweed was wrapped around my head.
I (J)descended to the base of the mountains.
The earth with its (K)bars was around me forever,
But You have (L)brought up my life from [e]the pit, Lord my God.
While [f]I was (M)fainting away,
I (N)remembered the Lord,
And my (O)prayer came to You,
Into (P)Your holy temple.
Those who (Q)are followers of worthless [g]idols
Abandon their faithfulness,
But I will (R)sacrifice to You
With a voice of thanksgiving.
That which I have vowed I will (S)pay.
(T)Salvation is from the Lord.”

10 Then the Lord commanded the (U)fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.

Footnotes

  1. Jonah 2:1 Ch 2:2 in Heb
  2. Jonah 2:2 Lit belly
  3. Jonah 2:4 Lit from Your eyes
  4. Jonah 2:5 Lit soul
  5. Jonah 2:6 Or corruption
  6. Jonah 2:7 Lit my soul within me was
  7. Jonah 2:8 Lit futilities

[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