Jonah 2:3

You threw me down into the deep water, down to the sea's bottom. The sea currents swirled around me, and the huge waves crashed above me. You threw me OR You caused men to throw me the huge waves crashed above me OR You buried me under crashing waves

Jonah (Easy-to-Translate)

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

2Jonah said, "Yahweh, when I was greatly distressed there in the fish belly, I prayed to you, and you heard what I prayed. When I was about to descend way down into the place where dead people go, you heard me when I called out for you to help/save me. Jonah said OR Jonah prayed Jonah said Jonah’s prayer is a Hebrew poem or song. If you want to create a poem in your language from the content of Jonah’s prayer, or sing Jonah’s song in your language, that would be very appropriate about to descend way down into the place where dead people go OR when I almost died OR when I was as good as dead

4Then I thought/said, 'Although You have banished me, Yet I will go to see your holy temple again!' Then I thought/said, ‘Although You OR Then I thought that although You Then I thought/said, ‘Although You Jonah 2:7 Then I thought/said, ‘Although You Since Jonah is thinking and not speaking out loud, in your translation, you might want to use an indirect quote rather than a direct speech quote. You have banished me OR You have expelled/cast me away from your presence/sight Yet I will OR But surely I will Yet I will There is a text translation issue with this part of verse 4. The Hebrew text introduces Jonah’s second thought with a word meaning ‘yet’ or ‘surely’, expressing hope. But there is one alternate Greek translation from the Hebrew that uses a word meaning ‘how’, expressing a sense of hopelessness, that Jonah might never again see the Lord. English versions are divided in how they render this meaning. Many follow the second alternative, even though it has little textual support. So, it is recommended that you follow the Hebrew text and the options given here. (TN Jonah) to see your holy temple again OR to see the holy place where you/Yahweh live to see your holy temple again There is disagreement among scholars concerning whether the temple mentioned in chapter 2, verses 4 and 7, refers to the earthly temple in Jerusalem, or to Yahweh’s eternal dwelling place in heaven. So, if possible, avoid referring to the location of the temple in these verses. In both verses, the sense seems to be “the holy place where you (the Lord) live.” (TN Jonah, Hohulin, 2000)Both the Jerusalem temple and the temple in heaven were true dwelling places for Yahweh. The Glory of Yahweh Himself used to dwell in the tabernacle and later in the temple. Jonah had “come down” from Jerusalem to Joppa, and contemplated returning to Jerusalem. In the context of Jewish “cosmic geography,” Judah was Yahweh’s land, and Nineveh was a dwelling place for demons. GC

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Cross References

Jonah 1:12Jonah replied to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea. If you do that, then the sea will become calm. I know that this terrible storm is caused by my not doing what Yahweh told me to do."

Matthew Henry on Jonah 2:2-10

Jonah's Prayer; The Prophet in the Fish's Belly. ( b. c. 840.) 1 Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly, 2 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. 3 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. 4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. 5 The… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

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