Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, May 15th, 2025
the Fourth Week after Easter
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

New King James Version

Jonah 2:2

And he said: "I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, And He answered me. "Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Despondency;   Faith;   Hades;   Hell;   Prayer;   Repentance;   Scofield Reference Index - Bible Prayers;   Miracles;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Prayer, Answers to;  

Dictionaries:

- Easton Bible Dictionary - Belly;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jonah;   Nebuchadnezzar;   Prophet;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Death;   Hell;   Poetry;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Jonah;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Hell;   Miracles;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Belly;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Belly;   Cry, Crying;   Jonah, the Book of;   Tribulation;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Prayer;   Theology;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for August 4;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I called to the Lord in my distress,and he answered me.I cried out for help from deep inside Sheol;you heard my voice.
Hebrew Names Version
He said, "I called because of my affliction to the LORD. He answered me. Out of the belly of She'ol I cried. You heard my voice.
King James Version (1611)
And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction vnto the Lord, and hee heard mee; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voyce.
King James Version
And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord , and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
English Standard Version
saying, "I called out to the Lord , out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.
New American Standard Bible
and he said, "I called out of my distress to the LORD, And He answered me. I called for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice.
New Century Version
"When I was in danger, I called to the Lord , and he answered me. I was about to die, so I cried to you, and you heard my voice.
Amplified Bible
and said, "I called out of my trouble and distress to the LORD, And He answered me; Out of the belly of Sheol I cried for help, And You heard my voice.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And said, I cryed in mine affliction vnto the Lorde, and he heard me: out of the bellie of hell cryed I, and thou heardest my voyce.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
and he said, "I called out of my distress to the LORD, And He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice.
Legacy Standard Bible
and he said,"I called out of my distress to Yahweh,And He answered me.I cried for help from the belly of Sheol;You heard my voice.
Berean Standard Bible
saying: "In my distress I called to the LORD and He answered me. From the belly of Sheol I called for help, and You heard my voice.
Contemporary English Version
When I was in trouble, Lord , I prayed to you, and you listened to me. From deep in the world of the dead, I begged for your help, and you answered my prayer.
Complete Jewish Bible
From the belly of the fish Yonah prayed to Adonai his God;
Darby Translation
and he said: I cried by reason of my distress unto Jehovah, and he answered me; Out of the belly of Sheol cried I: thou heardest my voice.
Easy-to-Read Version
"I was in very bad trouble. I called to the Lord for help, and he answered me. I was deep in the grave. I cried to you, and you heard my voice.
George Lamsa Translation
I cried to the LORD in my distress and he answered me; out of the depths of Sheol cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
Good News Translation
"In my distress, O Lord , I called to you, and you answered me. From deep in the world of the dead I cried for help, and you heard me.
Lexham English Bible
and said, "I called from my distress to Yahweh, and he answered me; from the belly of Sheol I cried for help— you heard my voice.
Literal Translation
And he said, I cried out to Jehovah from my distress. And He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried for help, and You heard my voice.
American Standard Version
And he said, I called by reason of mine affliction unto Jehovah, And he answered me; Out of the belly of Sheol cried I, And thou heardest my voice.
Bible in Basic English
In my trouble I was crying to the Lord, and he gave me an answer; out of the deepest underworld I sent up a cry, and you gave ear to my voice.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And saide: In affliction I cryed vnto the Lorde, and he heard me: out of the belly of hell cryed I, and thou heardest my voyce.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Jonas prayed to the Lord his God out of the belly of the whale,
English Revised Version
And he said, I called by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he answered me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
World English Bible
He said, "I called because of my affliction to Yahweh. He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried. You heard my voice.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and seide, Y criede to God of my tribulacioun, and he herde me; fro the wombe of helle Y criede, and thou herdist my vois.
Update Bible Version
And he said, I called by reason of my affliction to Yahweh, And he answered me; Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, [And] you heard my voice.
Webster's Bible Translation
And said, I cried by reason of my affliction to the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, [and] thou heardst my voice.
New English Translation
and said, "I called out to the Lord from my distress, and he answered me; from the belly of Sheol I cried out for help, and you heard my prayer.
New Living Translation
He said, "I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord , you heard me!
New Life Bible
saying, "I called out to the Lord because of my trouble, and He answered me. I cried for help from the place of the dead, and You heard my voice.
New Revised Standard
saying, "I called to the Lord out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and said - I cried - out of my distress - unto Yahweh, and he answered me, - Out of the belly of hades, called I, Thou didst hear my voice.
Douay-Rheims Bible
(2-3) And he said: I cried out of my affliction to the Lord, and he heard me: I cried out of the belly of hell, and thou hast heard my voice.
Revised Standard Version
saying, "I called to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and thou didst hear my voice.
Young's Literal Translation
And he saith: I called, because of my distress, to Jehovah, And He doth answer me, From the belly of sheol I have cried, Thou hast heard my voice.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and sayed: In my trouble I called vnto ye LORDE, and he herde me: out off the bely off hell I cried, and thou herdest my voyce.

Contextual Overview

1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish's belly. 2 And he said: "I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, And He answered me. "Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice. 3 For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me. 4 Then I said, "I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.' 5 The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head. 6 I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD, my God. 7 "When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple. 8 "Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy. 9 But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I cried: Genesis 32:7-12, Genesis 32:24-28, 1 Samuel 30:6, Psalms 4:1, Psalms 18:4-6, Psalms 22:24, Psalms 34:6, Psalms 65:2, Psalms 120:1, Psalms 142:1-3, Luke 22:44, Hebrews 5:7

by reason of mine: or, out of mine, 1 Samuel 1:16

out: Psalms 18:5, Psalms 18:6, Psalms 61:2, Psalms 86:13, Psalms 88:1-7, Psalms 116:3

hell: or, the grave, Psalms 16:10, Isaiah 14:9, Matthew 12:40, Acts 2:27

and thou: Psalms 34:6, Psalms 65:2

Reciprocal: Exodus 15:5 - depths Judges 16:28 - remember me 1 Samuel 2:6 - he bringeth 2 Samuel 22:6 - sorrows 1 Kings 22:32 - Jehoshaphat Job 33:26 - pray Psalms 6:9 - hath heard Psalms 34:4 - sought Psalms 69:15 - waterflood Psalms 77:2 - In the Psalms 86:7 - General Psalms 130:1 - Out of Psalms 139:8 - in hell Lamentations 3:55 - General Daniel 4:34 - lifted Matthew 14:30 - Lord Luke 11:10 - General Luke 15:16 - no 1 Timothy 2:8 - pray James 5:13 - any among

Cross-References

Genesis 1:31
Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Genesis 2:8
The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.
Genesis 2:11
The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.
Exodus 23:12
Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed.
Exodus 31:17
It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed."'
Deuteronomy 5:14
but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.
Isaiah 58:13
"If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the LORD honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words,
John 5:17
But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working."
Hebrews 4:4
For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all His works"; Genesis 2:2">[fn]

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And said,.... Not unto the Lord in prayer, but to others, to whom he communicated what passed between God and him in this time of distress; how he prayed to him, and was heard by him; what a condition he had been in, and how he was delivered out of it; what was his frame of mind while in it, sometimes despairing, and sometimes hoping; and how thankful he was for this salvation, and was determined to praise the Lord for it:

I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; or, "out of my strait" a; being straitened in his body, and as it were in a prison in the fish's belly; and straitened in his soul, being between hope and despair, and under the apprehensions of the divine displeasure. A time of affliction is a time for prayer; it brings those to it that have disused it; it made Jonah cry to his God, if not with a loud voice, yet inwardly; and his cry was powerful and piercing, it reached the heavens, and entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts, though out of the depths, and out of the belly of a fish, in the midst of the sea:

out of the belly of hell cried I, [and] thou heardest my voice; or, "out of the belly of the grave" b; out of the midst of it; that is, out of the belly of the fish, which was as a grave to him, as Jarchi observes; where he lay as out of the land of the living, as one dead, and being given up for dead: and it may also respect the frame of his mind, the horror and terror lie was in, arising from a sense of his sins, and the apprehensions he had of the wrath of God, which were as a hell in his conscience; and amidst all this he cried to God, and he heard him; and not only delivered him from he fish's belly, but from those dreadful apprehensions he had of his state and condition; and spoke peace and pardon to him. This is a proof that this prayer or thanksgiving be it called which it will, was composed, as to the form and order of it, after his deliverance; and these words are an appeal to God for the truth of what he had said in the preceding clause, and not a repetition of it in prayer; or expressing the same thing in different words.

a מצרה "ex angustia mea", Junius Tremellius, Piscator "ex arcto mihi", Cocceius. b מבטן שאול "e ventre sepulchri", Calvin, Piscator, Liveleus; "e ventre sepulchrali", Junius & Tremellius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I cried by reason of mine affliction - , or, “out of affliction” which came “to me.” So the Psalmist thanked God in the same words, though in a different order ; “To the Lord in trouble to me I called, and He heard me.” He “called,” and God heard and answered , “He does not say, I “call,” but I “called”; he does not pray for the future, but gives thanks for the past.” Strange cause of thankfulness this would seem to most faith, to be alive in such a grave; to abide there hour after hour, and day after day, in one unchanging darkness, carried to and fro helplessly, with no known escape from his fetid prison, except to death! Yet spiritual light shone on that depth of darkness. The voracious creature, which never opened his mouth save to destroy life, had swallowed him, to save it . “What looked like death, became safe-keeping,” and so the prophet who had fled to avoid doing the will of God and to do his own, now willed to be carried about, he knew not where, at the will; as it seemed, of the huge animal in which he lay, but in truth, where God directed it, and he gave thanks. God had heard him. The first token of God’s mercy was the earnest of the whole. God was dealing with him, was looking on him. It was enough.

Out of the belly of hell cried I. - The deep waters were as a grave, and he was counted “among the dead” Psalms 88:4. Death seemed so certain that it was all one as if he were in the womb of hell, not to be reborn to life until the last Day. So David said Psalms 18:5, “The bands of death compassed me round about;” and Psalms 30:3, “Thou hast drawn my life out of hell.” The waters choked his speech; but he cried with a loud cry to God Who knew the heart. “I cried; Thou heardest.” The words vary only by a kindred letter . The real heart’s cry to God according to the mind of God and His hearing are one, whether, for man’s good, He seem at the time to hear or no.

“Not of the voice but of the heart is God the Hearer, as He is the Seer. Do the ears of God wait for sound? How then could the prayer of Jonah from the inmost belly of the whale, through the bowels of so great a creature, out of the very bottomless depths, through so great a mass of waters, make its way to heaven?” “Loud crying to God is not with the voice but with the heart. Many, silent with their lips, have cried aloud with their heart; many, noisy with their lips, could, with heart turned away, obtain nothing. If then thou criest, cry within, where God heareth.” “Jonah cried aloud to God out of the fish’s belly, out of the deep of the sea, out of the depths of disobedience; and his prayer reached to God, Who rescued him from the waves, brought him forth out of the vast creature, absolved him from the guilt. Let the sinner too cry aloud, whom, departing from God, the storm of desires overwhelmed, the malignant Enemy devoured, the waves of this present world sucked under! Let him own that he is in the depth, that so his prayer may reach to God.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jonah 2:2. Out of the belly of hell — Among the Hebrews שאול sheol means the grave, any deep pit, the place of separate spirits, c. Here the prophet represents himself as in the bottom of the sea for so sheol must be understood in this place.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile