1 Now the word of Yahweh came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it, for their wickedness has come up before me." 3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid its fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh. 4 But Yahweh sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty storm on the sea, so that the ship was likely to break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and every man cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone down into the innermost parts of the ship, and he was laying down, and was fast asleep. 6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said to him, "What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God! Maybe your God will notice us, so that we won't perish." 7 They all said to each other, "Come, let us cast lots, that we may know who is responsible for this evil that is on us." So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they asked him, "Tell us, please, for whose cause this evil is on us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? Of what people are you?" 9 He said to them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear Yahweh, the God of heaven, who has made the sea and the dry land." 10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said to him, "What is this that you have done?" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of Yahweh, because he had told them. 11 Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us?" For the sea grew more and more stormy. 12 He said to them, "Take me up, and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will be calm for you; for I know that because of me this great storm is on you." 13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to get them back to the land; but they could not, for the sea grew more and more stormy against them. 14 Therefore they cried to Yahweh, and said, "We beg you, Yahweh, we beg you, don't let us die for this man's life, and don't lay on us innocent blood; for you, Yahweh, have done as it pleased you." 15 So they took up Jonah, and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased its raging. 16 Then the men feared Yahweh exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice to Yahweh, and made vows. 17 Yahweh prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Jonah, sent to Nineveh, flees to Tarshish, Jonah 1:1-3. He is overtaken by a great tempest, Jonah 1:4-14; thrown into the sea, Jonah 1:15, Jonah 1:16; and swallowed by a fish, in the belly of which he is miraculously preserved alive three days and three nights, Jonah 1:17.
This chapter gives an account of the call and mission of Jonah to go to Nineveh, and prophesy there, and the reason of it, Jonah 1:1; his disobedience to it, Jonah 1:3. God's resentment of it, by sending a storm into the sea, where he was, which terrified the mariners, and put the ship in danger of being lost, Jonah 1:4; The discovery of Jonah and his disobedience as the cause of the tempest, and how it was made, Jonah 1:6; The casting of him into the sea at his own motion, and with his own consent, though with great reluctance in the mariners, Jonah 1:11. The preparation of a fish for him, which swallowed him up, and in which he lived three days and three nights, Jonah 1:17.
(Jonah 1:1-3) Jonah, sent to Nineveh, flees to Tarshish.
(Jonah 1:4-7) He is stayed by a tempest.
(Jonah 1:8-12) His discourse with the mariners.
(Jonah 1:13-17) He is cast into the sea, and miraculously preserved.
Mission of Jonah to Nineveh His Flight and Punishment - Jonah 1
Jonah tries to avoid fulfilling the command of God, to preach repentance to the great city Nineveh, by a rapid flight to the sea, for the purpose of sailing to Tarshish (Jonah 1:1-3); but a terrible storm, which threatens to destroy the ship, brings his sin to light (Jonah 1:4-10); and when the lot singles him out as the culprit, he confesses that he is guilty; and in accordance with the sentence which he pronounces upon himself, is cast into the sea (Jonah 1:11-16).
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.