Jonah

Jonah 2:2–7

²saying:

“In my distress I called to the LORD,

and He answered me.

From the belly of Sheol I called for help,

and You heard my voice.

³For You cast me into the deep,

into the heart of the seas,

and the current swirled about me;

all Your breakers and waves swept over me.

⁴At this, I said,

‘I have been banished from Your sight;

yet I will look once more

toward Your holy temple.’

⁵The waters engulfed me

to take my life;

the watery depths closed around me;

the seaweed wrapped around my head.

⁶To the roots of the mountains I descended;

the earth beneath me barred me in forever!

But You raised my life from the pit,

O LORD my God!

⁷As my life was fading away,

I remembered the LORD.

My prayer went up to You,

to Your holy temple.

Read all of Jonah 2

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Jonah 2:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
saying	וַיֹּ֗אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
In my distress	מִצָּ֥רָה	miṣ·ṣā·rāh	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular	H6869 id.
I called	קָ֠רָאתִי	qā·rā·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the LORD	יְהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
and He answered me	וַֽיַּעֲנֵ֑נִי	way·ya·‘ă·nê·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H6030 answer, respond
From the belly	מִבֶּ֧טֶן	mib·be·ṭen	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct	H990 belly, body, womb
of Sheol	שְׁא֛וֹל	šə·’ō·wl	Noun - common singular	H7585 underworld
I called for help	שִׁוַּ֖עְתִּי	šiw·wa‘·tî	Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular	H7768 cry out for help
You heard	שָׁמַ֥עְתָּ	šā·ma‘·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H8085 hear
my voice	קוֹלִֽי׃	qō·w·lî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H6963 sound, voice

Jonah 2:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For You cast me	וַתַּשְׁלִיכֵ֤נִי	wat·taš·lî·ḵê·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singular	H7993 throw, fling, cast
into the deep	מְצוּלָה֙	mə·ṣū·lāh	Noun - feminine singular	H4688 depth, deep
into the heart	בִּלְבַ֣ב	bil·ḇaḇ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3824 inner man, mind, will, heart
of the seas	יַמִּ֔ים	yam·mîm	Noun - masculine plural	H3220 sea
and the current	וְנָהָ֖ר	wə·nā·hār	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H5104 stream, river
swirled about me	יְסֹבְבֵ֑נִי	yə·sō·ḇə·ḇê·nî	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H5437 turn about, go around, surround
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
Your breakers	מִשְׁבָּרֶ֥יךָ	miš·bā·re·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H4867 breaker
and waves	וְגַלֶּ֖יךָ	wə·ḡal·le·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H1530 heap, wave, billow
swept	עָבָֽרוּ׃	‘ā·ḇā·rū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
over me	עָלַ֥י	‘ā·lay	Preposition; first person common singular	H5921 height

Jonah 2:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
At this	וַאֲנִ֣י	wa·’ă·nî	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
I	וַאֲנִ֣י	wa·’ă·nî	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
said	אָמַ֔רְתִּי	’ā·mar·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H559 utter, say
I have been banished	נִגְרַ֖שְׁתִּי	niḡ·raš·tî	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular	H1644 drive out, cast out
from	מִנֶּ֣גֶד	min·ne·ḡeḏ	Preposition-m	H5048 what is conspicuous or in front
Your sight	עֵינֶ֑יךָ	‘ê·ne·ḵā	Noun - cdc; second person masculine singular	H5869 eye
yet	אַ֚ךְ	’aḵ	Adverb	H389 surely
I will look	לְהַבִּ֔יט	lə·hab·bîṭ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H5027 look
once more	אוֹסִ֣יף	’ō·w·sîp̄	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular	H3254 add
toward	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Your holy	קָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃	qāḏ·še·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6944 sacred, sanctity
temple	הֵיכַ֖ל	hê·ḵal	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1964 palace, temple

Jonah 2:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The waters	מַ֙יִם֙	ma·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
engulfed me	אֲפָפ֤וּנִי	’ă·p̄ā·p̄ū·nî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural; first person common singular	H661 surround, encompass
to take	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
my life	נֶ֔פֶשׁ	ne·p̄eš	Noun - feminine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
the watery depths	תְּה֖וֹם	tə·hō·wm	Noun - common singular	H8415 deep, sea, abyss
closed around me	יְסֹבְבֵ֑נִי	yə·sō·ḇə·ḇê·nî	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H5437 turn about, go around, surround
the seaweed	ס֖וּף	sūp̄	Noun - masculine singular	H5488 reeds, rushes
wrapped	חָב֥וּשׁ	ḥā·ḇūš	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular	H2280 bind, bind on, bind up
around my head	לְרֹאשִֽׁי׃	lə·rō·šî	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H7218 head

Jonah 2:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
To the roots	לְקִצְבֵ֤י	lə·qiṣ·ḇê	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct	H7095 cut, shape
of the mountains	הָרִים֙	hā·rîm	Noun - masculine plural	H2022 mountain, hill, hill-country
I descended	יָרַ֔דְתִּי	yā·raḏ·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H3381 come or go down, descend
the earth	הָאָ֛רֶץ	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
beneath me	בַעֲדִ֖י	ḇa·‘ă·ḏî	Preposition; first person common singular	H1157 separation
barred me in	בְּרִחֶ֥יהָ	bə·ri·ḥe·hā	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H1280 bar
forever	לְעוֹלָ֑ם	lə·‘ō·w·lām	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity
But You raised	וַתַּ֧עַל	wat·ta·‘al	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
my life	חַיַּ֖י	ḥay·yay	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H2416 alive, living
from the pit	מִשַּׁ֛חַת	miš·ša·ḥaṯ	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular	H7845 pit
O LORD	יְהוָ֥ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
my God	אֱלֹהָֽי׃	’ĕ·lō·hāy	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H430 God

Jonah 2:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
As my life	נַפְשִׁ֔י	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
was fading away	בְּהִתְעַטֵּ֤ף	bə·hiṯ·‘aṭ·ṭêp̄	Preposition-b; Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive construct	H5848 turn aside
I remembered	זָכָ֑רְתִּי	zā·ḵā·rə·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H2142 remember
the LORD	יְהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
My prayer	תְּפִלָּתִ֔י	tə·p̄il·lā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H8605 prayer
went up	וַתָּב֤וֹא	wat·tā·ḇō·w	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to You	אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙	’ê·le·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H413 motion to
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Your holy	קָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃	qāḏ·še·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6944 sacred, sanctity
temple	הֵיכַ֖ל	hê·ḵal	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1964 palace, temple