New International Version
Jonah 1:5
5All 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold.
Context of Jonah 1:5
3But 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. 4Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 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. 6The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.” 7Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.
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 went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.”
- 1 Kings 18:26So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.
- Isaiah 44:17From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, “Save me! You are my god!”
- Isaiah 45:20“Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save.
- Jeremiah 2:28Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble! For you, Judah, have as many gods as you have towns.
- Hosea 7:14They do not cry out to me from their hearts but wail on their beds. They slash themselves, appealing to their gods for grain and new wine, but they turn away from me.
- Job 2:4“Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has for his own life.
- Acts 27:18We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard.
- Philippians 3:7But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
- 1 Samuel 24:3He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.
- Judges 16:19After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.
- Matthew 25:5The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
- Matthew 26:40Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter.
- Luke 22:45When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.
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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