Jonah 1:3-17 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:10

Then were the men exceedingly afraid ,.... When they found he was a Hebrew, and that it was the God of the Hebrews that was angry; of whom they had heard much, and what great and wonderful things had been done by him, and now had an experience of his power and providence, and that it was for fleeing from his presence that all this was; and therefore, since they had been guilty of greater sins than this, as they might imagine, what would be done to them? and particularly it might fill them... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:11

Then said they unto him, what shall we do unto thee ,.... Though, both by the lot and his own confession, they knew he was the guilty person; for whose sake this storm was; yet were unwilling to do anything to him without his will and consent, his counsel and advice; perceiving that he was a prophet of the God of the Hebrews, whom he had offended, and knew the mind and will of his God, and the nature of his offence against him, and what only would appease him they desire him to tell what... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:12

And he said unto them, take me up, and cast me forth into the sea ,.... This he said not as choosing rather to die than to go to Nineveh; or as having overheard the men say that they would cast him into the sea, as Aben Ezra suggests, greatly to the prejudice of the prophet's character; but as being truly sensible of his sin, and that he righteously deserved to die such a death; and in love to the lives of innocent men, that they might be saved, and not perish, through his default; and as a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:13

Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to bring it to the land , but they could not ,.... Or, "they digged" F12 ויחתרו "et fodiebant", Montanus, Calvin, Piscator, Tarnovius; "foderunt", Vatablus, Liveleus. ; that is, the waters of the sea with their oars; not by casting anchor, as Abendana; they used all their skill and exerted all their strength; they laboured with all their might and main, as a man digs in a pit; they ploughed the ocean, and furrowed the sea, as the Latins speak,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:14

Wherefore they cried unto the Lord ,.... Not unto their gods, but unto the true Jehovah, the God of Jonah, and of the Hebrews; whom they now, by this providence, and Jonah's discourse, had some convictions and knowledge of as the true God; and therefore direct their prayer to him, before they cast the prophet into the sea: and said, we beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee ; which repetition shows the ardent, vehemence, and earnestness of their minds in prayer: let us not perish for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:15

So they took up, Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea ,.... They took him out of the hold or cabin where he was, and brought him upon deck; they took him, not against his will, but with his full consent, and according to the direction and advice he gave them: "they", for there were more than one employed in this affair; one or more very probably took him by the legs, and others put their hands under his arm holes, and so threw him into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:16

Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly ,.... This was not a natural fear, as before, but a religious one; and not a servile fear, or a fear of punishment, but a reverential godly fear; for they feared him, not only because they saw his power in raising and stilling the tempest, but his goodness to them in saving them: and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord ; a spiritual sacrifice; the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for a safe deliverance from the storm; for other sort of sacrifice... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:17

Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah ,.... Not from the creation of the world, as say the Jews F16 Pirke Eliezer, c. 10. fol. 10. 2. ; for this is to be understood, not of the formation or making of it; but of the ordering and disposition of it by the providence of God to be near the ship, and its mouth open to receive Jonah, as soon as he was cast forth from thence: and a great one it must be, to take him at once into its mouth, and swallow him down its throat,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 1:3

To 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 the nearest port to Jerusalem... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 1:4

A 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 more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 1:17

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 1:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 1:4

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