Jonah

Jonah 2:2–8

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.

8Those who cling to worthless idols

forsake His loving devotion.a

Footnotes

  • a 2:8 Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant.

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

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
sayingוַיֹּ֗אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
In my distressמִצָּ֥רָהmiṣ·ṣā·rāhPreposition-m; Noun - feminine singularH6869 id.
I calledקָ֠רָאתִיqā·rā·ṯîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH7121 call, proclaim, read
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the LORDיְהוָ֖הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
and He answered meוַֽיַּעֲנֵ֑נִיway·ya·‘ă·nê·nîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singularH6030 answer, respond
From the bellyמִבֶּ֧טֶןmib·be·ṭenPreposition-m; Noun - feminine singular constructH990 belly, body, womb
of Sheolשְׁא֛וֹלšə·’ō·wlNoun - common singularH7585 underworld
I called for helpשִׁוַּ֖עְתִּיšiw·wa‘·tîVerb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singularH7768 cry out for help
You heardשָׁמַ֥עְתָּšā·ma‘·tāVerb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularH8085 hear
my voiceקוֹלִֽי׃qō·w·lîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH6963 sound, voice

Jonah 2:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
For You cast meוַתַּשְׁלִיכֵ֤נִיwat·taš·lî·ḵê·nîConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singularH7993 throw, fling, cast
into the deepמְצוּלָה֙mə·ṣū·lāhNoun - feminine singularH4688 depth, deep
into the heartבִּלְבַ֣בbil·ḇaḇPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH3824 inner man, mind, will, heart
of the seasיַמִּ֔יםyam·mîmNoun - masculine pluralH3220 sea
and the currentוְנָהָ֖רwə·nā·hārConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH5104 stream, river
swirled about meיְסֹבְבֵ֑נִיyə·sō·ḇə·ḇê·nîVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singularH5437 turn about, go around, surround
allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
Your breakersמִשְׁבָּרֶ֥יךָmiš·bā·re·ḵāNoun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singularH4867 breaker
and wavesוְגַלֶּ֖יךָwə·ḡal·le·ḵāConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singularH1530 heap, wave, billow
sweptעָבָֽרוּ׃‘ā·ḇā·rūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
over meעָלַ֥י‘ā·layPreposition; first person common singularH5921 height

Jonah 2:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
At thisוַאֲנִ֣יwa·’ă·nîConjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singularH589 I
Iוַאֲנִ֣יwa·’ă·nîConjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singularH589 I
saidאָמַ֔רְתִּי’ā·mar·tîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH559 utter, say
I have been banishedנִגְרַ֖שְׁתִּיniḡ·raš·tîVerb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singularH1644 drive out, cast out
fromמִנֶּ֣גֶדmin·ne·ḡeḏPreposition-mH5048 what is conspicuous or in front
Your sightעֵינֶ֑יךָ‘ê·ne·ḵāNoun - cdc; second person masculine singularH5869 eye
yetאַ֚ךְ’aḵAdverbH389 surely
I will lookלְהַבִּ֔יטlə·hab·bîṭPreposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructH5027 look
once moreאוֹסִ֣יף’ō·w·sîp̄Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singularH3254 add
towardאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Your holyקָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃qāḏ·še·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH6944 sacred, sanctity
templeהֵיכַ֖לhê·ḵalNoun - masculine singular constructH1964 palace, temple

Jonah 2:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
The watersמַ֙יִם֙ma·yimNoun - masculine pluralH4325 water, juice, urine
engulfed meאֲפָפ֤וּנִי’ă·p̄ā·p̄ū·nîVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural; first person common singularH661 surround, encompass
to takeעַד־‘aḏ-PrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
my lifeנֶ֔פֶשׁne·p̄ešNoun - feminine singularH5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
the watery depthsתְּה֖וֹםtə·hō·wmNoun - common singularH8415 deep, sea, abyss
closed around meיְסֹבְבֵ֑נִיyə·sō·ḇə·ḇê·nîVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singularH5437 turn about, go around, surround
the seaweedס֖וּףsūp̄Noun - masculine singularH5488 reeds, rushes
wrappedחָב֥וּשׁḥā·ḇūšVerb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularH2280 bind, bind on, bind up
around my headלְרֹאשִֽׁי׃lə·rō·šîPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH7218 head

Jonah 2:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
To the rootsלְקִצְבֵ֤יlə·qiṣ·ḇêPreposition-l; Noun - masculine plural constructH7095 cut, shape
of the mountainsהָרִים֙hā·rîmNoun - masculine pluralH2022 mountain, hill, hill-country
I descendedיָרַ֔דְתִּיyā·raḏ·tîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH3381 come or go down, descend
the earthהָאָ֛רֶץhā·’ā·reṣArticle; Noun - feminine singularH776 earth, land
beneath meבַעֲדִ֖יḇa·‘ă·ḏîPreposition; first person common singularH1157 separation
barred me inבְּרִחֶ֥יהָbə·ri·ḥe·hāNoun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singularH1280 bar
foreverלְעוֹלָ֑םlə·‘ō·w·lāmPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singularH5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity
But You raisedוַתַּ֧עַלwat·ta·‘alConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singularH5927 go up, ascend, climb
my lifeחַיַּ֖יḥay·yayNoun - masculine plural construct; first person common singularH2416 alive, living
from the pitמִשַּׁ֛חַתmiš·ša·ḥaṯPreposition-m; Noun - feminine singularH7845 pit
O LORDיְהוָ֥הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
my Godאֱלֹהָֽי׃’ĕ·lō·hāyNoun - masculine plural construct; first person common singularH430 God

Jonah 2:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
As my lifeנַפְשִׁ֔יnap̄·šîNoun - feminine singular construct; first person common singularH5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
was fading awayבְּהִתְעַטֵּ֤ףbə·hiṯ·‘aṭ·ṭêp̄Preposition-b; Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive constructH5848 turn aside
I rememberedזָכָ֑רְתִּיzā·ḵā·rə·tîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH2142 remember
the LORDיְהוָ֖הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
My prayerתְּפִלָּתִ֔יtə·p̄il·lā·ṯîNoun - feminine singular construct; first person common singularH8605 prayer
went upוַתָּב֤וֹאwat·tā·ḇō·wConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
to Youאֵלֶ֙יךָ֙’ê·le·ḵāPreposition; second person masculine singularH413 motion to
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Your holyקָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃qāḏ·še·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH6944 sacred, sanctity
templeהֵיכַ֖לhê·ḵalNoun - masculine singular constructH1964 palace, temple

Jonah 2:8

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Those who cling toמְשַׁמְּרִ֖יםmə·šam·mə·rîmVerb - Piel - Participle - masculine pluralH8104 keep, watch, preserve
worthlessשָׁ֑וְאšāwNoun - masculine singularH7723 emptiness, vanity
idolsהַבְלֵי־haḇ·lê-Noun - masculine plural constructH1892 vapour, breath
forsakeיַעֲזֹֽבוּ׃ya·‘ă·zō·ḇūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralH5800 leave, forsake, loose
loving devotionחַסְדָּ֖םḥas·dāmNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH2617 goodness, kindness

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Jonah 2:2 Psalm 18:4–6 · Psalm 120:1 · Psalm 34:6 · Psalm 86:13 · Psalm 88:1–7 · Hebrews 5:7 · 1 Samuel 30:6 · Matthew 12:40 · Psalm 22:24 · Psalm 116:3 · Psalm 4:1

Jonah 2:3 Psalm 42:7 · Lamentations 3:54 · Psalm 69:1–2

Jonah 2:4 Psalm 31:22 · Psalm 5:7 · 2 Chronicles 6:38 · Isaiah 38:17 · Jeremiah 7:15 · Daniel 6:10 · 1 Kings 8:38–39

Jonah 2:5 Psalm 69:1–2 · Lamentations 3:54 · Psalm 40:2

Jonah 2:6 Psalm 30:3 · Psalm 16:10 · Isaiah 38:17 · Proverbs 8:25–29 · Psalm 143:7 · Deuteronomy 32:22 · Psalm 104:6 · Psalm 65:6 · Isaiah 40:12 · Job 38:4–11 · Psalm 30:9 · Habakkuk 3:6

Jonah 2:7 Psalm 18:6 · 2 Chronicles 30:27 · 1 Samuel 30:6 · Psalm 143:5 · Psalm 11:4 · Psalm 77:10–11 · Psalm 20:7 · Psalm 27:13 · Lamentations 3:21–26 · Psalm 65:4 · Psalm 42:11 · 2 Corinthians 1:9–10

Jonah 2:8 Psalm 31:6 · 2 Kings 17:15 · Jeremiah 2:13 · Jeremiah 10:8 · 1 Samuel 12:21 · Habakkuk 2:18–20 · Jeremiah 10:14–15 · Jeremiah 16:19

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.