Jonah 1:13-14

13. The men rowed hard Literally, broke through. They tried to break through the waves (Amos 9:2). The manly attitude of Jonah may have aroused the sympathy of the sailors; they did their best to save him, but in vain. The tempest only increased in fury. 14. When all efforts failed they finally decided to cast Jonah overboard, but first they prayed to Jonah’s God that he would not hold them guilty of murder.

They cried unto Jehovah Jonah, as the worshiper of Jehovah, was under the latter’s protection. He might avenge any injury done to his prophet. Against this divine vengeance they sought to protect themselves.

For this man’s life Which is about to be destroyed (Deuteronomy 19:21; 2 Samuel 14:7).

Lay not upon us innocent blood These words do not imply that they considered Jonah innocent, and they do not mean that they prayed Jehovah to interfere so that they might not be compelled to destroy the life of an innocent man. The casting of the lot had settled the question of Jonah’s guilt; but they, with other ancients, believed that a deity might act arbitrarily, and were afraid that, after they had thrown Jonah overboard, Jehovah might impute his death upon them as blood-guiltiness (Deuteronomy 21:8), as if he were an innocent man, and thus demand their death in turn.

Thou… hast done as it pleased thee In sending the storm and in overruling the lot. In casting Jonah overboard they were only carrying out the divine pleasure as revealed in the acts of the divine providence.