Jonah 1:11

Jonah 1:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.
• New International Version (NIV)The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?" For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?”—for the sea was growing more tempestuous.

Context of Jonah 1:11

9Jonah answered them, “I’m a Hebrew. I worship the Lord, the God of heaven. He is the God who made the sea and the land.” 10Then the men were terrified. They knew that he was running away from the Lord, because he had told them. They asked Jonah, “Why have you done this?” The storm was getting worse. So they asked Jonah, “What should we do with you to calm the sea?” 12He told them, “Throw me overboard. Then the sea will become calm. I know that I’m responsible for this violent storm.” 13Instead, the men tried to row harder to get the ship back to shore, but they couldn’t do it. The storm was getting worse.

Jonah 1:11 word by word

וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ מַה־נַּ֣עֲשֶׂה לָּ֔ךְ וְיִשְׁתֹּ֥ק הַיָּ֖ם מֵֽעָלֵ֑ינוּ כִּ֥י הַיָּ֖ם הוֹלֵ֥ךְ וְסֹעֵֽר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• they unto him, What shall we doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• unto thee, that the seaיָםyâm · seaH3220
• may be calmשָׁתַקshâthaq · be quietH8367
• wroughtהָלַךְhâlak · to go: continueH1980
• and was tempestuousסָעַרsâ‛ar · to rageH5590

Cross-references for Jonah 1:11

• 1 Samuel 6:2when the Philistines called for priests and people skilled in explaining omens. The Philistines asked, “What should we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how to return it to its ⌞proper⌟ place.”
• 2 Samuel 21:1In the time of David, there was a famine for three successive years, and David asked the Lord’s advice about it. The Lord answered, “It’s because of Saul and his family. They are guilty of murder because they killed the people of Gibeon.”
• 2 Samuel 24:11When David got up in the morning, the Lord spoke his word to the prophet Gad, David’s seer.
• Micah 6:6What should I bring when I come into the Lord’s presence, when I bow in front of the God of heaven? Should I bring him year-old calves as burnt offerings?

Commentaries on Jonah 1:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11What shall we do unto thee - In these poor men there was an uncommon degree of humanity and tender feeling.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11What shall we do unto thee? - They knew him to be a prophet; they ask him the mind of his God. The lots had marked out Jonah as the cause of the storm; Jonah had himself admitted it, and that the storm was for “his” cause, and came from “his” God. “Great was he who fled, greater He who required him. They dare not give him up; they cannot conceal him. They blame the fault; they confess their fear; they ask “him” the remedy, who was the author of the sin…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-12Verses 8-12 Jonah gave an account of his religion, for that was his business. We may hope that he told with sorrow and shame, justifying God, condemning himself, and explaining to the mariners what a great God Jehovah is. They said to him, Why hast thou done this? If thou fearest the God that made the sea and the dry land, why wast thou such a fool as to think thou couldst flee from his presence? If the professors of religion do wrong, they will hear it…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. What shall we do unto thee?--They ask this, as Jonah himself must best know how his God is to be appeased. "We would gladly save thee, if we can do so, and yet be saved ourselves" (Jon 1:13, 14).Read the comment

Topics related to Jonah 1:11

• Jonah
• Superstition

In the dictionaries

• the sea, the Great Sea, the western sea
• Cry
• Raging
• Jonah, the Book of

Commentaries on Jonah 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings