New King James Version
Jonah 1:3
3But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
Jonah 1:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)But 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.
Context of Jonah 1:3
1Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. 4But 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. 5Then 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.
Read all of Jonah 1Jonah 1:3 word by word
וַיָּ֤קָם יוֹנָה֙ לִבְרֹ֣חַ תַּרְשִׁ֔ישָׁה מִלִּפְנֵ֖י יְהוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֨רֶד יָפ֜וֹ וַיִּמְצָ֥א אָנִיָּ֣ה׀ בָּאָ֣ה תַרְשִׁ֗ישׁ וַיִּתֵּ֨ן שְׂכָרָ֜הּ וַיֵּ֤רֶד בָּהּ֙ לָב֤וֹא עִמָּהֶם֙ תַּרְשִׁ֔ישָׁה מִלִּפְנֵ֖י יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But Jonahיוֹנָהyônâh · JonahH3124
- rose upקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- to fleeבָּרַחbârach · to fleeH1272
- unto Tarshishתַּרְשִׁישׁtarshîysh · TarshishH8659
- from the presenceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- and went downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- to Joppaיָפוֹyâphô yâphô' · JoppaH3305
- and he foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- a shipאֳנִיָּה'onîyâh · a shipH591
- goingבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- so he paidנָתַןnâthan · to give: payH5414
- the fareשָׂכָרώâkâr · wagesH7939
Cross-references for Jonah 1:3
- Jonah 4:2So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.
- Exodus 4:13But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.”
- 1 Kings 19:3And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
- Jeremiah 20:7O Lord, You induced me, and I was persuaded; You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I am in derision daily; Everyone mocks me.
- Ezekiel 3:14So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.
- Luke 9:62But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
- Acts 15:38But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.
- Acts 26:19“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
- 1 Corinthians 9:16For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!
- Genesis 3:8And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
- Genesis 4:16Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden.
- Job 1:12And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
- Job 2:7So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.
- Psalms 139:7Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?
- 2 Thessalonians 1:9These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
- Joshua 19:46Me Jarkon, and Rakkon, with the region near Joppa.
Commentaries on Jonah 1:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3To flee unto Tarshish - Some say Tartessus, in Spain, near the straits of Gibraltar, others, Tarsus, in Cilicia; and others, Taprobana, or the island of Ceylon, formerly called Taprobah; and Tabrobavagh in Sanscrit, to the present day. And went down to Joppa - This place is celebrated as that where Andromeda, daughter of Cepheus, was chained to a rock, and exposed to be devoured by a sea-monster, from which she was delivered by the valor of Perseus. It is…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3But (And) Jonah rose up to flee from the presence of the Lord - literally “from being before the Lord.” Jonah knew well, that man could not escape from the presence of God, whom he knew as the Self-existing One, He who alone is, the Maker of heaven, earth and sea. He did not “flee” then “from His presence,” knowing well what David said Psalm 139:7, Psalm 139:9-10, “whither shall I go from Thy Spirit, or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I take…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Jonah tried to run away from the Lord, but he could not succeed. No one can escape God (Psalm 139:7–10) or disobey his will without facing consequences (Deuteronomy 8:5). Jonah's hesitation to go to Nineveh is understandable. Assyria was an enemy of Israel known for its violence (Jonah 3:8; see also Nahum 3:1–4). Jonah did not want these non-Israelites to have the chance to repent and be saved (Jonah 4:2). Joppa was an important port city on the…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. flee--Jonah's motive for flight is hinted at in Jon 4:2: fear that after venturing on such a dangerous commission to so powerful a heathen city, his prophetical threats should be set aside by God's "repenting of the evil," just as God had so long spared Israel notwithstanding so many provocations, and so he should seem a false prophet. Besides, he may have felt it beneath him to discharge a commission to a foreign idolatrous nation, whose destruction…Read the comment
Topics related to Jonah 1:3
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries