1 N ow the word of Jehovah came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying,

2 A rise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

“Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.”

3 B ut Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah; and he 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 unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah.

But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

4 B ut Jehovah sent out a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

The Lord hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up.

5 T hen the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god; and they cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it unto them. But Jonah was gone down into the innermost parts of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep.

6 S o the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

So the captain approached him and said, “How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.”

7 A nd they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

Each man said to his mate, “Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us.” So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

8 T hen said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; what is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

Then they said to him, “ Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”

9 A nd he said unto them, I am a Hebrew; and I fear Jehovah, the God of heaven, who hath made the sea and the dry land.

He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.”

10 T hen were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, What is this that thou hast done? For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of Jehovah, because he had told them.

Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, “ How could you do this?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.

11 T hen said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

So they said to him, “What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?”—for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy.

12 A nd he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

He said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you.”

13 N evertheless the men rowed hard to get them back to the land; but they could not: for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.

However, the men rowed desperately to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming even stormier against them.

14 W herefore they cried unto Jehovah, and said, We beseech thee, O Jehovah, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood; for thou, O Jehovah, hast done as it pleased thee.

Then they called on the Lord and said, “We earnestly pray, O Lord, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O Lord, have done as You have pleased.”

15 S o they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea; and the sea ceased from its raging.

So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging.

16 T hen the men feared Jehovah exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice unto Jehovah, and made vows.

Then the men feared the Lord greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.

17 A nd Jehovah prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.