Jonah 1:13 - Exposition

The generous sailors, however, are loth to execute this sentence on a prophet of the Lord, and make a supreme effort to reach the land, and thus obviate this severe alternative. Rowed hard; literally, digged ( Job 24:16 ; Ezekiel 12:7 ); Septuagint, παρεβιάζοντο , "used violent efforts." They endeavoured to force their way through the waves with oars, as the use of sails was impracticable. The expression is like the classical phrases, infindere sulcos, scindere freta, arare aquas, and our "to plough the main." To the land; to get them back to land. The wind was off shore, and they had taken down the sails, and tried to row back to the harbour. τοῦ ἐπιτρέψαι πρὸς τὴν γῆν , "to return to the land". The sea wrought (see note on Jonah 1:11 ).