New English Translation
Jonah 1:5
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.
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
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. 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! The 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!” 7The sailors said to one another, “Come on, let’s cast lots to find out whose fault it is that this disaster has overtaken us.” So they cast lots, and Jonah was singled out.
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 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!”
- 1 Kings 18:26So they took a bull, as he had suggested, and prepared it. They invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us.” But there was no sound and no answer. They jumped around on the altar they had made.
- Isaiah 44:17With the rest of it he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships it. He prays to it, saying, ‘Rescue me, for you are my god!’
- Isaiah 45:20Gather together and come! Approach together, you refugees from the nations! Those who carry wooden idols know nothing, those who pray to a god that cannot deliver.
- Jeremiah 2:28But where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them save you when you are in trouble. The sad fact is that you have as many gods as you have towns, Judah.
- Hosea 7:14They do not pray to me, but howl in distress on their beds; They slash themselves for grain and new wine, but turn away from me.
- Job 2:4But Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! Indeed, a man will give up all that he has to save his life!
- Acts 27:18The next day, because we were violently battered by the storm, they began throwing the cargo overboard,
- Philippians 3:7But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ.
- 1 Samuel 24:3He came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave. Saul went into it to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave.
- Judges 16:19She made him go to sleep on her lap and then called a man in to shave off the seven braids of his hair. She made him vulnerable and his strength left him.
- Matthew 25:5When the bridegroom was delayed a long time, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
- Matthew 26:40Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, “So, couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour?
- Luke 22:45When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, exhausted from grief.
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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