God’s Word Translation
Jonah 1:5
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.
Jonah 1:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
- New International Version (NIV)All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep.
Context of Jonah 1:5
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. 4The Lord sent a violent wind over the sea. The storm was so powerful that the ship was in danger of breaking up. The 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.” 7Then the sailors said to each other, “Let’s throw dice to find out who is responsible for bringing this disaster on us.” So they threw dice, and the dice indicated that Jonah was responsible.
Read all of Jonah 1Jonah 1:5 word by word
וַיִּֽירְא֣וּ הַמַּלָּחִ֗ים וַֽיִּזְעֲקוּ֮ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אֱלֹהָיו֒ וַיָּטִ֨לוּ אֶת־הַכֵּלִ֜ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר בָּֽאֳנִיָּה֙ אֶל־הַיָּ֔ם לְהָקֵ֖ל מֵֽעֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וְיוֹנָ֗ה יָרַד֙ אֶל־יַרְכְּתֵ֣י הַסְּפִינָ֔ה וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב וַיֵּרָדַֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then the marinersמַלָּחmallâch · marinerH4419
- were afraidיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
- and criedזָעַקzâ‛aq · to cry outH2199
- every manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- unto his godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- and cast forthטוּלţûl · to castH2904
- the waresכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
- in the shipאֳנִיָּה'onîyâh · a shipH591
- into the seaיָםyâm · seaH3220
- to lightenקָלַלqâlal · to lightenH7043
- of them. But Jonahיוֹנָהyônâh · JonahH3124
- was gone downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- into the sidesיַרְכָהyerêkâh · flankH3411
- of the shipסְפִינָהsephîynâh · shipH5600
- and he layשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: lay downH7901
- and was fast asleepרָדַםrâdam · to sleepH7290
Cross-references for Jonah 1:5
- Jonah 1:6The 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.”
- 1 Kings 18:26They took the bull he gave them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon. They said, “Baal, answer us!” But there wasn’t a sound or an answer. So they danced around the altar they had made.
- Isaiah 44:17But the rest of the wood they make into gods, carved statues. They bow to them and worship them. They pray to them, saying, “Rescue us, because you are our gods.”
- Isaiah 45:20Come here, you refugees from the nations. Ignorant people carry wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save ⌞anyone⌟.
- Jeremiah 2:28Where are the gods that you made for yourselves? Let them come and rescue you when you’re in trouble. You have as many gods as you have cities, Judah!
- Hosea 7:14They don’t pray to me sincerely, even though they cry in their beds and make cuts on their bodies while praying for grain and new wine. They have turned against me.
- Job 2:4Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! Certainly, a man will give everything he has for his life.
- Acts 27:18We continued to be tossed so violently by the storm that the next day the men began to throw the cargo overboard.
- Philippians 3:7These things that I once considered valuable, I now consider worthless for Christ.
- 1 Samuel 24:3He came to some sheep pens along the road where there was a cave. Saul went into ⌞it⌟ to relieve himself while David and his men were sitting further back in the cave.
- Judges 16:19Delilah put Samson to sleep on her lap. She called for a man to shave off his seven braids. Then she began to torture him because his strength had left him.
- Matthew 25:5Since the groom was late, all the bridesmaids became drowsy and fell asleep.
- Matthew 26:40When he went back to the disciples, he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour?
- Luke 22:45When Jesus ended his prayer, he got up and went to the disciples. He found them asleep and overcome with sadness.
Commentaries on Jonah 1:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Cried every man unto his god - The ship's crew were all heathens; and, it is probable, heathens who had each a different object of religious worship. Cast forth the wares - Threw the lading overboard to lighten the ship, hoping the better to ride out the storm. Jonah was gone down - Most probably into the hold or cabin under the deck; or where they had berths for passengers in the sides of the ship, something in the manner of our packets. Was fast asleep…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5And cried, every man unto his God - They did what they could. “Not knowing the truth, they yet know of a Providence, and, amid religious error, know that there is an Object of reverence.” In ignorance they had received one who offended God. And now God, “whom they ignorantly worshiped” Acts 17:23, while they cried to the gods, who, they thought, disposed of them, heard them. They escaped with the loss of their wares, but God saved their lives and revealed…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. 5-6God may have caused Jonah to keep sleeping to show that the sailors' gods could not help (Jonah 1:6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. mariners were afraid--though used to storms; the danger therefore must have been extreme. cried every man unto his god--The idols proved unable to save them, though each, according to Phoenician custom, called on his tutelary god. But Jehovah proved able: and the heathen sailors owned it in the end by sacrificing to Him (Jon 1:16). into the sides--that is, the interior recesses (compare 1Sa 24:3; Is 14:13, 15). Those conscious of guilt shrink from the…Read the comment
Topics related to Jonah 1:5
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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