God’s Word Translation
Jonah 1:3
3Jonah immediately tried to run away from the Lord by going to Tarshish. He went to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid for the trip and went on board. He wanted to go to Tarshish to get away from the Lord.
Jonah 1:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
Context of Jonah 1:3
1The Lord spoke his word to Jonah, son of Amittai. He said, 2“Leave at once for the important city, Nineveh. Announce to the people that I can no longer overlook the wicked things they have done.” Jonah immediately tried to run away from the Lord by going to Tarshish. He went to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid for the trip and went on board. He wanted to go to Tarshish to get away from the Lord. 4The Lord sent a violent wind over the sea. The storm was so powerful that the ship was in danger of breaking up. 5The sailors were afraid, and they cried to their gods for help. They began to throw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship’s load. Now, Jonah had gone below deck and was lying there sound asleep.
Read all of Jonah 1Jonah 1:3 word by word
וַיָּ֤קָם יוֹנָה֙ לִבְרֹ֣חַ תַּרְשִׁ֔ישָׁה מִלִּפְנֵ֖י יְהוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֨רֶד יָפ֜וֹ וַיִּמְצָ֥א אָנִיָּ֣ה׀ בָּאָ֣ה תַרְשִׁ֗ישׁ וַיִּתֵּ֨ן שְׂכָרָ֜הּ וַיֵּ֤רֶד בָּהּ֙ לָב֤וֹא עִמָּהֶם֙ תַּרְשִׁ֔ישָׁה מִלִּפְנֵ֖י יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But Jonahיוֹנָהyônâh · JonahH3124
- rose upקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- to fleeבָּרַחbârach · to fleeH1272
- unto Tarshishתַּרְשִׁישׁtarshîysh · TarshishH8659
- from the presenceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- and went downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- to Joppaיָפוֹyâphô yâphô' · JoppaH3305
- and he foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- a shipאֳנִיָּה'onîyâh · a shipH591
- goingבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- so he paidנָתַןnâthan · to give: payH5414
- the fareשָׂכָרώâkâr · wagesH7939
Cross-references for Jonah 1:3
- Jonah 4:2So he prayed to the Lord, “Lord, isn’t this what I said would happen when I was still in my own country? That’s why I tried to run to Tarshish in the first place. I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, patient, and always ready to forgive and to reconsider your threats of destruction.
- Exodus 4:13But Moses said, “Please, Lord, send someone else.”
- 1 Kings 19:3Frightened, Elijah fled to save his life. He came to Beersheba in Judah and left his servant there.
- Jeremiah 20:7O Lord, you have deceived me, and I was deceived. You overpowered me and won. I’ve been made fun of all day long. Everyone mocks me.
- Ezekiel 3:14Then the Spirit lifted me and took me away. I went away feeling bitter and angry. The strong power of the Lord came over me.
- Luke 9:62Jesus said to him, “Whoever starts to plow and looks back is not fit for God’s kingdom.”
- Acts 15:38However, Paul didn’t think it was right to take a person like him along. John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to work.
- Acts 26:19“At that point I did not disobey the vision I saw from heaven, King Agrippa.
- 1 Corinthians 9:16If I spread the Good News, I have nothing to brag about because I have an obligation to do this. How horrible it will be for me if I don’t spread the Good News!
- Genesis 3:8In the cool of the evening, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking around in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees in the garden.
- Genesis 4:16Then Cain left the Lord’s presence and lived in Nod [The Land of Wandering], east of Eden.
- Job 1:12The Lord told Satan, “Everything he has is in your power, but you must not lay a hand on him!” Then Satan left the Lord’s presence.
- Job 2:7Satan left the Lord’s presence and struck Job with painful boils from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
- Psalms 139:7Where can I go ⌞to get away⌟ from your Spirit? Where can I run ⌞to get away⌟ from you?
- 2 Thessalonians 1:9They will pay the penalty by being destroyed forever, by being separated from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious power.
- Joshua 19:46Me Jarkon, and Rakkon, with the border passing in front of Joppa.
Commentaries on Jonah 1:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3To flee unto Tarshish - Some say Tartessus, in Spain, near the straits of Gibraltar, others, Tarsus, in Cilicia; and others, Taprobana, or the island of Ceylon, formerly called Taprobah; and Tabrobavagh in Sanscrit, to the present day. And went down to Joppa - This place is celebrated as that where Andromeda, daughter of Cepheus, was chained to a rock, and exposed to be devoured by a sea-monster, from which she was delivered by the valor of Perseus. It is…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3But (And) Jonah rose up to flee from the presence of the Lord - literally “from being before the Lord.” Jonah knew well, that man could not escape from the presence of God, whom he knew as the Self-existing One, He who alone is, the Maker of heaven, earth and sea. He did not “flee” then “from His presence,” knowing well what David said Psalm 139:7, Psalm 139:9-10, “whither shall I go from Thy Spirit, or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I take…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Jonah tried to run away from the Lord, but he could not succeed. No one can escape God (Psalm 139:7–10) or disobey his will without facing consequences (Deuteronomy 8:5). Jonah's hesitation to go to Nineveh is understandable. Assyria was an enemy of Israel known for its violence (Jonah 3:8; see also Nahum 3:1–4). Jonah did not want these non-Israelites to have the chance to repent and be saved (Jonah 4:2). Joppa was an important port city on the…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. flee--Jonah's motive for flight is hinted at in Jon 4:2: fear that after venturing on such a dangerous commission to so powerful a heathen city, his prophetical threats should be set aside by God's "repenting of the evil," just as God had so long spared Israel notwithstanding so many provocations, and so he should seem a false prophet. Besides, he may have felt it beneath him to discharge a commission to a foreign idolatrous nation, whose destruction…Read the comment
Topics related to Jonah 1:3
In the dictionaries
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
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