Jonah 2:6 - Exposition

The bottoms of the mountains; literally, the cuttings off, where the mountains seem to be cut off by the ocean floor; the roots of the mountains. εἰς σχισμὰς ὀρέων , "the clefts of the mountains"; Psalms 18:15 . The earth with her bars ; as for the earth, her bars were about me ; return to it was shut out for me; the gate by which I might return was locked behind me. He adds, forever, as it was to all appearance, because he had no power in himself of returning to earth and life. Yet ; in spite of all, I am preserved. From corruption ( shachath ) ; as Job 17:14 ; de corruptione (Vulgate); so the Chaldee and Syriac; Septuagint, ἀναβήτω ἐκ φθορᾶς ἡ ζωή μου (Alex), ἀναβήτω φθορὰ ζωῆς μου (Vatican), "Let my life arise from destruction ; " or, "Let the destruction of my life [ i.e. my destroyed life] arise." Jerome refers the word to the digestive process in the fish's stomach; it is probably merely a synonym for "death." The marginal rendering, "the pit," i.e. Sheol , is also etymologically correct (comp. Psalms 30:3 ). My God. He thankfully acknowledges that Jehovah has proved himself a beneficent God to him.