God’s Word Translation
Jonah 1:4
4The Lord sent a violent wind over the sea. The storm was so powerful that the ship was in danger of breaking up.
Jonah 1:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
- New International Version (NIV)Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.
Context of Jonah 1:4
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.” 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. The 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. 6The captain of the ship went to him and asked, “How can you sleep? Get up, and pray to your God. Maybe he will notice us, and we won’t die.”
Read all of Jonah 1Jonah 1:4 word by word
וַֽיהוָ֗ה הֵטִ֤יל רֽוּחַ־גְּדוֹלָה֙ אֶל־הַיָּ֔ם וַיְהִ֥י סַֽעַר־גָּד֖וֹל בַּיָּ֑ם וְהָ֣אֳנִיָּ֔ה חִשְּׁבָ֖ה לְהִשָּׁבֵֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- sent outטוּלţûl · to castH2904
- a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- windרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
- into the seaיָםyâm · seaH3220
- tempestסַ֫עַרsa‛ar se‛ârâh · tempestH5591
- so that the shipאֳנִיָּה'onîyâh · a shipH591
- was likeחָשַׁבchâshab · to devise: deviseH2803
- to be brokenשָׁבַרshâbar · to breakH7665
Cross-references for Jonah 1:4
- Exodus 10:13Moses held his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord made a wind from the east blow over the land all that day and all that night. By morning the east wind had brought the locusts.
- Exodus 14:21Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. All that night the Lord pushed back the sea with a strong east wind and turned the sea into dry ground. The water divided,
- Exodus 15:10Your breath blew the sea over them. They sank like lead in the raging water.
- Numbers 11:31The Lord sent a wind from the sea that brought quails and dropped them all around the camp. There were quails on the ground about three feet deep as far as you could walk in a day in any direction.
- Psalms 107:24have seen what the Lord can do, the miracles he performed in the depths of the sea.
- Psalms 135:7He is the one who makes the clouds rise from the ends of the earth, who makes lightning for the thunderstorms, and who brings wind out of his storerooms.
- Amos 4:13God forms the mountains and creates the wind. He reveals his thoughts to humans. He makes dawn and dusk ⌞appear⌟. He walks on the high places of the earth. His name is the Lord God of Armies.
- Matthew 8:24Suddenly, a severe storm came across the sea. The waves were covering the boat. Yet, Jesus was sleeping.
- Acts 27:13When a gentle breeze began to blow from the south, the men thought their plan would work. They raised the anchor and sailed close to the shore of Crete.
Commentaries on Jonah 1:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4A great wind - They were overtaken with a storm, which appears from the sequel to have come by the immediate direction of God. Like to be broken - They had nearly suffered shipwreck.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4But (And) the Lord sent out - (literally cast along‘). Jonah had done his all. Now God‘s part began. This He expresses by the word, “And.” Jonah took “his” measures, “and” now God takes “His.” He had let him have his way, as He often deals with those who rebel against Him. He lets them have their way up to a certain point. He waits, in the tranquility of His Almightiness, until they have completed their preparations; and then, when man has ended, He…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-7Verses 4-7 God sent a pursuer after Jonah, even a mighty tempest. Sin brings storms and tempests into the soul, into the family, into churches and nations; it is a disquieting, disturbing thing. Having called upon their gods for help, the sailors did what they could to help themselves. Oh that men would be thus wise for their souls, and would be willing to part with that wealth, pleasure, and honour, which they cannot keep without making shipwreck of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4God's control over nature is a key theme in the book of Jonah (see Jonah 1:4, 9, 13–16, 17; 2:3, 10; 4:6–7).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. sent out--literally, caused a wind to burst forth. Coverdale translates, "hurled a greate wynde into the see."Read the comment
Topics related to Jonah 1:4
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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