Jonah 1:7-17

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 1:7

Come, and let us cast lots - This was a very ancient mode of endeavoring to find out the mind of Divine Providence; and in this case it proves that they supposed the storm to have arisen on account of some hidden crime of some person aboard. A philosopher being at sea in a violent storm. when the crew began to call earnestly to the gods for safety, he said, "Be silent, and cease your prayers; for should the gods know that you are here, we shall all be lost." The lot fell upon Jonah - ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 1:8

Tell us - for whose cause - A very gentle method of bringing the charge home to himself, and the several questions here asked gave the utmost latitude to make the best of his own case. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 1:9

I fear the Lord - In this Jonah was faithful. He gave an honest testimony concerning the God he served, which placed him before the eyes of the sailors as infinitely higher than the objects of their adoration; for the God of Jonah was the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land, and governed both. He also honestly told them that he was fleeing from the presence of this God, whose honorable call he had refused to obey. See Jonah 1:10 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 1:11

What shall we do unto thee - In these poor men there was an uncommon degree of humanity and tender feeling. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 1:12

I know that for my sake - I am not worthy to live; throw me overboard. God will not quiet the storm till I am cast out of the ship. Here was deep compunction; and honest avowal of sin; and a justification of the displeasure which God had now manifested. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 1:13

The men rowed hard - Were very unwilling to proceed to this extremity, and thought they would risk every thing rather than cast this disobedient prophet into the great deep. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 1:14

They cried unto the Lord - Under a conviction that he was the self-existing Being, the Maker of the heavens and the earth, and the author of the present storm, they put up their prayers to him. Let us not perish for this man's life - They were now about to cast him overboard; but seemed to call God to witness that it was with the utmost reluctance, and only in obedience to his command. There is a parallel passage in the Argonautics, which has been quoted to illustrate this: - Πολλα δε... read more

Group of Brands