New English Translation
Jonah 1:4
4But the Lord hurled a powerful wind on the sea. Such a violent tempest arose on the sea that the ship threatened to break 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“Go immediately to Nineveh, that large capital city, and announce judgment against its people because their wickedness has come to my attention.” 3Instead, Jonah immediately headed off to Tarshish to escape from the commission of the Lord. He traveled to Joppa and found a merchant ship heading to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard it to go with them to Tarshish far away from the Lord. But the Lord hurled a powerful wind on the sea. Such a violent tempest arose on the sea that the ship threatened to break up! 5The sailors were so afraid that each cried out to his own god and they flung the ship’s cargo overboard to make the ship lighter. Jonah, meanwhile, had gone down into the hold below deck, had lain down, and was sound asleep. 6The ship’s captain approached him and said, “What are you doing asleep? Get up! Cry out to your god! Perhaps your god might take notice of us so that we might not 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 10:13So Moses extended his staff over the land of Egypt, and then the Lord brought an east wind on the land all that day and all night. The morning came, and the east wind had brought up the locusts!
- Exodus 14:21Moses stretched out his hand toward the sea, and the Lord drove the sea apart by a strong east wind all that night, and he made the sea into dry land, and the water was divided.
- Exodus 15:10But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
- Numbers 11:31Now a wind went out from the Lord and brought quail from the sea, and let them fall near the camp, about a day’s journey on this side, and about a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about three feet high on the surface of the ground.
- Psalms 107:24They witnessed the acts of the Lord, his amazing feats on the deep water.
- Psalms 135:7He causes the clouds to arise from the end of the earth, makes lightning bolts accompany the rain, and brings the wind out of his storehouses.
- Amos 4:13For here he is! He formed the mountains and created the wind. He reveals his plans to men. He turns the dawn into darkness and marches on the heights of the earth. The Lord, the God who commands armies, is his name!”
- Matthew 8:24And a great storm developed on the sea so that the waves began to swamp the boat. But he was asleep.
- Acts 27:13When a gentle south wind sprang up, they thought they could carry out their purpose, so they weighed anchor and sailed close along the coast 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
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