Jonah 2:8

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jonah 2:1-9

God and his servant Jonah had parted in anger, and the quarrel began on Jonah's side; he fled from his country that he might outrun his work; but we hope to see them both together again, and the reconciliation begins on God's side. In the close of the foregoing chapter we found God returning to Jonah in a way of mercy, delivering him from going down to the pit, having found a ransom; in this chapter we find Jonah returning to God in a way of duty; he was called up in the former chapter to pray... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 2:8

They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. They that worship idols, who are nothing, mere vanity and lies, and deceive those that serve them, these forsake the God of their lives, and of their mercies; and so do all such who serve divers lusts and pleasures, and pursue the vanities of this life; and also those who follow the dictates of carnal sense and reason, to the neglect of the will of God, and obedience to his commands; which was Jonah's case, and is, I think, chiefly... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 2:8

They that observe lying vanities - They that trust in idols, follow vain predictions, permit themselves to be influenced with foolish fears, so as to induce them to leave the path of obvious duty, forsake their own mercy. In leaving that God who is the Fountain of mercy, they abandon that measure of mercy which he had treasured up for them. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 2:8

Verse 8 Here Jonah says first, that men miserably go astray, when they turn aside to vain superstitions, for they rob themselves of the chief good: for he calls whatever help or aid that is necessary for salvation, the mercy of men. The sense then is that as soon as men depart from God, they depart from life and salvation, and that nothing is retained by them, for they willfully cast aside whatever good that can be hoped and desired. Some elicit a contrary meaning, that the superstitious, when... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jonah 2:1-9

1 . Jonah, in the belly of the fish, offers a prayer of thanksgiving for his rescue from death by drowning, in which he sees a pledge of further deliverance. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jonah 2:1-10

Part I. JONAH 'S PRAYER AND DELIVERANCE . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jonah 2:2-10

Triumph, thanksgiving. "And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice," etc. This is one of the most striking instances in all Scripture of the benefit of believing prayer. "Lord, what a change within us one short hour Spent in thy presence will prevail to make! What heavy burdens from our bosom take! What parched lands refresh as with a shower! We kneel, and all around us seems to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jonah 2:5-10

Deliverance waiting on the assured hope of it. It is an obvious remark that all men are ingenuous with God. There is no thought of trying to mislead his judgment or escape his lidless eye. They know that he knows them, knows them truly, knows them thoroughly. Accordingly, when religious profession is false and religious converse is suppressive, and other religious acts are hollow and formal, secret prayer, if it be, offered at all, is both honest and open. Only tell us what a man says into... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jonah 2:8

Jonah contrasts the joy and comfort arising from the thought of God with the miserable fate of idolaters. They that observe ( Psalms 31:6 ); court, pay deference to, reverence. Lying vanities; Septuagint, μάταια καὶ ψευδῆ , "vain things and false." Idom (comp. Jeremiah 18:15 ; Hosea 12:11 ; 1 Corinthians 8:4 ). Their own mercy; i.e. their state of favour with God—the mercy shown to them, as "the mercies of [shown to] David" ( Isaiah 55:3 ); or God himself, the Fountain... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jonah 2:8

The vanity of idolatry. Jonah had been brought into association with idolaters in the person of the mariners of the ship but of which he had been cast. It may be that this fact accounts for the reference in this passage to those who worship other gods than the Lord. The more he experienced the faithfulness and goodness of Jehovah, the more was he convinced that there was none other entitled to reverence, confidence, and prayers. I. THE DESCRIPTION HERE GIVEN OF IDOLATERS .... read more

Group of Brands