Jonah 1

1The word of Yahweh came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying,

2Rise, go to Nineveh, the great city, and cry out against it, for their evil has risen before me.

3Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from Yahweh's presence, went down to Joppa, found a ship bound for Tarshish, paid its fare, and boarded to go with them to Tarshish from Yahweh's presence.

4Yahweh hurled a great wind upon the sea, and a mighty storm arose on the sea so the ship threatened to break.

5The mariners were afraid and cried out, each to his god. They hurled the cargo from the ship into the sea to lighten its load. But Jonah had gone down into the rear of the vessel, where he lay down and fell fast asleep.

6The shipmaster came to him and said, "What's with you, sleeper? Get up, call to your God! Perhaps God will give thought to us, and we will not perish."

7They each said to his companion, "Come, let us cast lots so we may know for whose sake this calamity is upon us." They cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

8They said to him, "Please tell us, for whose sake this disaster is upon us. What is your work? From where do you come? What is your land? From what people are you?"

9He said to them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear Yahweh, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land."

10The men were greatly afraid and said to him, "What is it you have done?" For the men knew he was fleeing from the presence of Yahweh, because he had told them.

11They said to him, "What should we do to you so the sea quiets for us?" because the sea was rising and raging.

12He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea, so the sea will quiet down for you, for I know that on my account this great storm is upon you.”

13The men rowed to return to dry land, but they could not, for the sea was growing more and more tempestuous against them.

14They called to Yahweh and said, "Please, Yahweh, please do not let us perish for this man's life, and do not lay innocent blood upon us, for you, Yahweh, have done as you desired."

15They lifted Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea's raging ceased.

16The men greatly feared Yahweh, offered a sacrifice to Yahweh, and made vows.

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