Crying Out From the Depths

Jonah 1:17–2:10 (Listen)

A Great Fish Swallows Jonah

17 1 And the LORD appointed2 a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Jonah’s Prayer

2:1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish, 2 saying,

  “I called out to the LORD, out of my distress,
    and he answered me;
  out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
    and you heard my voice.
3   For you cast me into the deep,
    into the heart of the seas,
    and the flood surrounded me;
  all your waves and your billows
    passed over me.
4   Then I said, ‘I am driven away
    from your sight;
  yet I shall again look
    upon your holy temple.’
5   The waters closed in over me to take my life;
    the deep surrounded me;
  weeds were wrapped about my head
6     at the roots of the mountains.
  I went down to the land
    whose bars closed upon me forever;
  yet you brought up my life from the pit,
    O LORD my God.
7   When my life was fainting away,
    I remembered the LORD,
  and my prayer came to you,
    into your holy temple.
8   Those who pay regard to vain idols
    forsake their hope of steadfast love.
9   But I with the voice of thanksgiving
    will sacrifice to you;
  what I have vowed I will pay.
    Salvation belongs to the LORD!”

10 And the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.

Footnotes

[1] 1:17 Ch 2:1 in Hebrew
[2] 1:17 Or had appointed

(ESV)