[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

Jonah’s Prayer and God’s Answer

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. And he said:

“I (A)cried out to the Lord because of my affliction,
(B)And He answered me.

“Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
And You heard my voice.
(C)For You cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the floods surrounded me;
(D)All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.
(E)Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight;
Yet I will look again (F)toward Your holy temple.’
The (G)waters surrounded me, even to my soul;
The deep closed around me;
Weeds were wrapped around my head.
I went down to the [a]moorings of the mountains;
The earth with its bars closed behind me forever;
Yet You have brought up my (H)life from the pit,
O Lord, my God.

“When my soul fainted within me,
I remembered the Lord;
(I)And my prayer went up to You,
Into Your holy temple.

“Those who regard (J)worthless idols
Forsake their own [b]Mercy.
But I will (K)sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving;
I will pay what I have (L)vowed.
(M)Salvation is of the (N)Lord.”

10 So the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Footnotes

  1. Jonah 2:6 foundations or bases
  2. Jonah 2:8 Or Lovingkindness

Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly,

And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.

For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.

Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.

The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.

I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.

When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.

10 And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.