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Jonah 2
1Then Jonah prayed to Yahweh, his God, out of the fish's belly.
2He said, "I called because of my affliction to Yahweh. He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried. You heard my voice.
3For you threw me into the depths, in the heart of the seas. The flood was all around me. All your waves and your billows passed over me.
4I said, 'I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.'
5The waters surrounded me, even to the soul. The deep was around me. The weeds were wrapped around my head.
6I went down to the bottoms of the mountains. The earth barred me in forever: yet have you brought up my life from the pit, Yahweh my God.
7"When my soul fainted within me, I remembered Yahweh. My prayer came in to you, into your holy temple.
8Those who regard lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
9But I will sacrifice to you with the voice of thanksgiving. I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation belongs to Yahweh."
10Yahweh spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah on the dry land.
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Afflictions and Adversities: Benefits of, Illustrated Jonah 2:1–10
From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God, / saying: “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. / For 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.
Afflictions and Adversities: Dispensation of God Jonah 2:3
For 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.
Afflictions and Adversities: Jonah Jonah 2:7
As my life was fading away, I remembered the LORD. My prayer went up to You, to Your holy temple.
Afflictions and Adversities: Often Severe Jonah 2:3
For 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.
Afflictions and Adversities: Prayer In Jonah 2:1–10
From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God, / saying: “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. / For 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.
Afflictions Made Beneficial in Leading Us to Seek God in Prayer Jonah 2:1
From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God,
Afflictions Made Beneficial: Jonah Jonah 2:7
As my life was fading away, I remembered the LORD. My prayer went up to You, to Your holy temple.
Afflictions: Often Severe Jonah 2:3
For 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.
Answers To Prayer: Jonah Jonah 2:2, 10
saying: “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. / And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Backsliders: General Scriptures Concerning Jonah 2:4
At this, I said, ‘I have been banished from Your sight; yet I will look once more toward Your holy temple.’
Backsliders: Jonah Jonah 2:1
From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God,
Church: Holy Temple Jonah 2:4, 7
At this, I said, ‘I have been banished from Your sight; yet I will look once more toward Your holy temple.’ / As my life was fading away, I remembered the LORD. My prayer went up to You, to Your holy temple.
Conviction: Jonah, in the Belly of the Great Fish Jonah 2:1
From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God,
Corruption: Physical Decomposition: After Death Jonah 2:6
To 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!
Despondency: General Scriptures Concerning Jonah 2:2–4
saying: “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. / For 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. / At this, I said, ‘I have been banished from Your sight; yet I will look once more toward Your holy temple.’
Fish: Miracles Connected With: Jonah Swallowed By Jonah 2:1
From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God,
Flag: (Rv , Bulrush) Jonah 2:5
The waters engulfed me to take my life; the watery depths closed around me; the seaweed wrapped around my head.
God: Saviour Jonah 2:9
But I, with the voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You. I will fulfill what I have vowed. Salvation is from the LORD!”
Hades: The Realm (State) of the Dead Jonah 2:2
saying: “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.
Hell in the RV of Nt It Appears Only In Jonah 2:2
saying: “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.
Idolatry: Denunciations Against Jonah 2:8
Those who cling to worthless idols forsake His loving devotion.
Idols Jonah 2:8
Those who cling to worthless idols forsake His loving devotion.
Jonah: Repentance and Deliverance of Jonah 2:1
From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God,
Mental Health Jonah 2:5–7
The waters engulfed me to take my life; the watery depths closed around me; the seaweed wrapped around my head. / To 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! / As my life was fading away, I remembered the LORD. My prayer went up to You, to Your holy temple.
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
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Jonah 2:1 Verse 1
his God--"his" still, though Jonah had fled from Him. Faith enables Jonah now to feel this; just as the returning prodigal says of the Father, from whom he had wandered, "I will arise and go to my Father" (Lu 15:18). out of the fish's belly--Every place may serve as an oratory. No place is amiss for prayer. Others translate, "when (delivered) out of the fish's belly." English Version is better.
Jonah 2:2 Verse 2
His prayer is partly descriptive and precatory, partly eucharistical. Jonah incorporates with his own language inspired utterances familiar to the Church long before in Jon 2:2, Ps 120:1; in Jon 2:3, Ps 42:7; in Jon 2:4, Ps 31:22; in Jon 2:5, Ps 69:1; in Jon 2:7, Ps 142:3; 18:6; in Jon 2:8, Ps 31:6; in Jon 2:9, Ps 116:17, 18,
Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
Pastoral and devotional reflections focused on spiritual formation and application.
Jonah 2:1-9 Verses 1-9
Observe when Jonah prayed. When he was in trouble, under the tokens of God's displeasure against him for sin: when we are in affliction we must pray. Being kept alive by miracle, he prayed. A sense of God's good-will to us, notwithstanding our offences, opens the lips in prayer, which were closed with the dread of wrath. Also, where he prayed; in the belly of the fish. No place is amiss for prayer. Men may shut us from communion with one another, but not from communion with God. To whom he prayed; to the Lord his God. This encourages even backsliders to return. What his prayer was. This seems to relate his experience and reflections, then and afterwards, rather than to be the form or substance of his prayer. Jonah reflects on the earnestness of his prayer, and God's readiness to hear and answer. If we would get good by our troubles, we must notice the hand of God in them. He had wickedly fled from the presence of the Lord, who might justly take his Holy Spirit from him, never to visit him more. Those only are miserable, whom God will no longer own and favour. But though he was perplexed, yet not in despair. Jonah reflects on the favour of God to him, when he sought to God, and trusted in him in his distress. He warns others, and tells them to keep close to God. Those who forsake their own duty, forsake their own mercy; those who run away from the work of their place and day, run away from the comfort of it. As far as a believer copies those who observe lying vanities, he forsakes his own mercy, and lives below his privileges. But Jonah's experience encourages others, in all ages, to trust in God, as the God of salvation.
Jonah 2:10 Verse 10
Jonah's deliverance may be considered as an instance of God's power over all the creatures. As an instance of God's mercy to a poor penitent, who in distress prays to him: and as a type and figure of Christ's resurrection. Amidst all our varying experiences, and the changing scenes of life; we should look by faith, fixedly, upon our once suffering and dying, but now risen and ascended Redeemer. Let us confess our sins, consider Christ's resurrection as an earnest of our own, and thankfully receive every temporal and spiritual deliverance, as the pledge of our eternal redemption.