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¹ NOW the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Matai (Matthew), saying,² Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.³ But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare and went on board to go with them to Tarshish to flee from the presence of the LORD.

⁴ But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was in danger of being broken.⁵ Then the mariners were afraid and cried every man to his god, and they threw the wares that were in the ship into the sea to lighten it. But Jonah had gone down into the inner hold of the ship; and he lay and was fast asleep.⁶ So the captain came to him and said to him, Why are you sleeping? Arise, call upon your God, perhaps God will deliver us, that we perish not.⁷ And they said every one to his fellow, Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil has come upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.⁸ Then they said to him, Tell us for what cause this evil has come upon us; what is your occupation? And from what place do you come? What is your country? And of what people are you?⁹ And Jonah said to them, I am a Hebrew; and I worship the LORD the God of heaven, who has made the sea and the dry land.¹⁰ Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, What have you done? For the men knew that he had fled from the presence of the LORD.

¹¹ And when he had told them everything, then they said to him, What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us? For behold, the sea continues to be more tempestuous against us.¹² Jonah said to them, Take me up and cast me into the sea, so that the sea may be calm to you; for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.¹³ Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring the ship back to the land; but they could not; for the sea became more tempestuous against them.¹⁴ Therefore they cried to the LORD and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, let us not perish for this mans life, and lay not upon us innocent blood; for thou art the LORD and hast done as it pleased thee.¹⁵ So they took up Jonah and cast him forth into the sea; and the sea ceased from its raging.¹⁶ And the men were greatly terrified from the presence of the LORD, and they offered sacrifices of righteousness to the LORD and made vows.¹⁷ Now the LORD had prepared a great fish, and it swallowed up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.