Jonah 1:16

"Then the men feared Jehovah exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice unto Jehovah, and made vows."

"The men feared Jehovah exceedingly ..." The old versions have, "They feared the Lord with a great fear." Why?

They had seen things contrary to nature; they had confronted the knowledge of the true God; they had seen his just judgment upon one of his disobedient servants; and they were aware of their own sins and accountability before the God of heaven and earth. "Events full of wonder had thronged upon them, things beyond nature and contrary to nature, things which betokened HIS PRESENCE, who holds all things in his hands!"[35]

"A sacrifice unto Jehovah ..." This shows that not everything on the ship had been cast overboard, some of the animals, no doubt, which were used for food, were still available for the sacrifice mentioned.

"And made vows ..." indicates that whatever sacrifice they made was deemed by them to be insufficient, hence their intention of doing a more thorough and acceptable service of worshipping and sacrificing to the true God, as soon as circumstances would permit it.