Bible Commentaries
Jonah 2

Verses 1-6

Jon 2:1-6

GOD’S MESSENGER RUNNING TO GOD—
THE PRAYER OF JONAH

TEXT: Jonah 2:1-6

Jonah’s “soul was sorrowful even unto death” (cf. Matthew 26:38) and he “despaired even of life itself” (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:8). He was so close to death that he considered himself actually dead. Yet the Lord delivered him back to life.

According to the destructive “higher critics” of the Old Testament this book we know as the book of Jonah was written by an unknown composer who took legends and mythological fairy-tales and formed it into the present book of Jonah. In the course of time this composition is supposed to have received certain changes, the most notable of which was the inclusion of the “thanksgiving song” (Jonah 2:3-10) with Jonah 2:2 as an introduction to this song. Those who believe that chapter 2 contains a psalm from a different source than the rest of the book of Jonah give the following arguments:

a. In Jonah 2:1 it is said that Jonah prayed, but what actually follows is not a prayer but a psalm of thanksgiving for deliverance. And furthermore, they say, this psalm which suggests its connection with Jonah’s experiences. One critic was sure that Jonah 2:5 excluded the idea that Jonah was in the fish’s belly, because “weeds do not grow in a whale’s belly.”

b. The critics say, lastly, that the text reads smoothly without this psalm, if Jonah 2:10 be placed immediately after Jonah 2:1, this proves it is not a part of the original.

Dr. Edward J. Young, in Introduction To The Old Testament, pp. 280–282, gives a conclusive defense of the unity of the book of Jonah. We include here his defense of chapter 2:

a. In the first place, if Jonah 2:2-9 be removed from the book of Jonah, the symmetry of the book is most certainly destroyed.

b. There is no conflict between the statement that Jonah prayed, and a psalm of thanksgiving—for is not thanksgiving of the very essence of prayer??

c. Of course weeds do not grow in whale’s bellies, but this is not a psalm of thanksgiving for deliverance from a whale’s belly, but of deliverance from drowning in the depths of the sea.

d. The prayer does not take place before the deliverance when we realize Jonah was saved when he was swallowed by the great fish and that his prayer was made then.

e. That there is nothing in the psalm which connects it with Jonah’s experience is so absurd as to merit no answer!

There are some who explain the prayer as simply a fragmented collection of the book of Psalms interpolated here in Jonah’s book by an unknown redactor (editor). Moeller makes the following comparisons:

This is no evidence, whatsoever, for an unknown redactor interpolating excerpts from the book of Psalms into the book of Jonah. It is evidence that Jonah, the prophet of God, was a student of the Hebrew Scriptures and had written the word of God upon his heart and when in extreme circumstances was able to lift himself up by having hidden this Word of God in his heart.

Jonah 2:1-2 THEN JONAH PRAYED . . . I CALLED BY REASON OF MINE APPLICATION UNTO JEHOVAH . . . AND HE ANSWERED ME . . . It was because of his affliction that Jonah was led to cry unto God. This is the purpose of chastening. Our Heavenly Father knows that we have need of chastening and of endurance (cf. Hebrews 10:32-39; Hebrews 12:3-11). We should rejoice when it comes (cf. James 1:2-4). It is a school wherein we are trained (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:3-11). It is only when we see our own helplessness and hopelessness that we are able to turn to God (2 Corinthians 1:8-9). It is when we are made weak that we become strong (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10). The salvation of Jonah was the affliction the Lord placed upon him.

Zerr: Jonah 2:1. Nothing that is right is impossible with God (Matthew 19:26). therefore He could preserve Jonah alive and conscious in the bowels of the fish. Being a worshiper of the true God, it was not strange that he would engage in prayer in his unusual surroundings. Aside from being cut off from the normal kind and amount of air, he was unharmed by the act of the fish, and of course the Lord could take care of that situation by His great power. Jonah 2:2. And said, I cried. We know that Jonah did not do any writing while in the body of the fish, but wrote his account of the affair afterward as he was composing his book. He was being preserved miraculously but that did not prevent him from feeling the unpleasantness of the surroundings. That experience together with the remembrance of his error in trying to flee from the Lord, placed him In a frame of mind to offer a humble petition to God. The word hell is from snitoL and Strong’s definition of it is, "Hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat) including Us accessories and inmates." In the King James version the word is rendered grave 31 times, hell 31 and pit 3; it is the only word for "hell” in the Old Testament. It is evident that Jonah used the word only in the sense of its being a “subterranean retreat,” since he was alive and in good health. The happy fact is stated that the Lord heard the prayer and took a favorable attitude toward Jonah (though we do not have all of his prayer).

Prayer is “an act of worship which covers all the attitudes of the soul in its approach to God.” Some think there are certain postures necessary for prayer but the Bible shows by example that men may pray in any posture; kneeling (1 Kings 8:54; Ezra 9:5); standing (Nehemiah 9:5; Luke 18:13); bowing down upon the earth with face between the knees (1 Kings 18:42); lying in a sick bed and turning the face to the wall (2 Kings 20:2); falling prostrate upon the ground (Matthew 26:39); walking along or standing in public (John 11:41-42; John 12:28-28). Prayer is more an attitude than it is a formula or a ritual. Jonah could easily have prayed in the belly of the great fish without even opening his mouth. We are to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and the only way this can be done is to be in an attitude of praise, thanksgiving, supplication and dependence upon God at all times whether, silent or aloud, whether lying down, sitting up or standing, wherever we may be.

Sheol is the Hebrew word usually translated in the Old Testament “hell.” It is also translated “pit” or “grave.” The context helps to determine the best translation. The etymology is uncertain. It may have been derived from a root word meaning “a hollow place,” Sheol means “underworld,” or “nether-world,” and is equivalent to Hades in the New Testament. In fact, the Septuagint, or Greek Old Testament, uses the word Hades in Jonah 2:2. Jonah cried out from the very grave!

Jonah 2:3-4 . . . THOU DIDST CAST ME INTO THE DEPTH . . . THE FLOOD WAS ROUND ABOUT ME . . . I AM CAST OUT FROM BEFORE THINE EYES; YET I WILL LOOK AGAIN TOWARD THY HOLY TEMPLE. Jonah was as good as dead! He had resigned himself to it! As far as he was concerned there was no possibility of saving himself. And this is exactly where God wanted him! One of the great paradoxes of God is that we must die before we can live (cf. John 12:20-26).

Jonah had first to realize his estrangement from the Father before he could in all humility and dependent faith turn to the Father for help. Jonah, the “Prodigal,” recognized this when he said, “I am cast out from before thine eyes.” But then Jonah’s heart turned to God’s Word for its “great and exceeding precious promises” and in faith cried out that he would, God willing, be restored to the presence of Jehovah.

Zerr: Jonah 2:3. Jonah had told the men to cast him into the sea. but here he says the Lord did it. This is a reason for the remarks on Jonah 1:12, showing that Jonah gave his instructions to the men on the authority of God. Jonah 2:4. Nothing is ever invisible to the eyes of God, so out of thy sight refers to Jonah’s side of the matter. He was hidden from all the scenes of the earth, yet he had faith in the existence of God and now turned to Him in his distress.

Jonah 2:5-6 THE WATERS COMPASSED ME ABOUT, EVEN TO THE SOUL . . . THE WEEDS WERE WRAPPED ABOUT MY HEAD . . . BOTTOMS OF THE MOUNTAINS . . . EARTH . . . BARS CLOSED UPON ME . . . YET HAST THOU BROUGHT UP MY LIFE FROM THE PIT . . . The weeds are probably the reeds and grass, the vegetation on the very bottom of the sea. Jonah was down as far as one could go! The word translated bottoms is from a verb which means to “cut off,” or to “shear”. It signifies the extreme end. Jonah was at the very bottom of the sea where it seems as if the very foundations of the earth are to be found. That he lived through this experience is indeed a miracle when one considers the short time it takes to drown and the death that can come from extreme pressures of the oceanic depths. The “bars” of the earth had clanged into place and he would not be permitted access there now. Jonah thought of the earth as a walled city with its gate shut and locked with a bar, preventing him from ever again entering. From all outward appearances, and as far as he could determine, he would never again see the earth.

Yet the Lord did bring up his life. He was resurrected from the grave—saved out from death, Thus he became a sign to his generation and a type of the Messiah Who was a Sign to His generation and all generations. We shall deal more with Jonah’s typical relation to the Messiah later.

Zerr: Jonah 2:5. The original word for soul generally means any living and breathing creature. Jonah means he felt that his entire being was overwhelmed by the water. He not only was a prisoner on the inside of the fish, but that was a water creature and it was in its natural element which was not a suitable place for man. Weeds is from cuwrH which Strong defines, “A reed, especially the papyrus.” It is the word for “flags” in Exodus 2:3, and hence refers to the reedy plants growing in the water. Doubtless when Jonah was cast overboard he first felt these reeds about him as he sank beneath the water and the impression was still with him for a time. Jonah 2:6. Jonah is describing the way he felt when he was cast out of the boat, not that it is an inspired literal report of what actually happened. Bottoms of the mountains. The hilly land of the vicinity would extend on down into the water and Jonah felt as if he had sunk down to the bases of them. Earth . . . bars . , , for ever. Again Jonah is describing the way it seemed to him as he was shut off from the entire world. This conclusion is justified by his words immediately following that the Lord brought him out of the corruption that threat-ened his life.

Questions

1. Show that chapter 2 is not an interpolation by an unknown editor.

2. Why is it possible that Jonah’s words may be quotations of the Psalms?

3. What purpose does affliction serve?

4. What is Sheol?

5. How extreme was the condition of Jonah in the sea?

Verses 1-10

Jon 2:1-10

Jonah comes to himself and Prays unto Jehovah (Jonah 2:1-10)

“Then Jonah prayed unto Jehovah his God out of the fish’s belly” (Jonah 2:1).

Jonah had plenty of time to contemplate what caused him to be in the belly of a great fish while it swam throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Jonah, like many of us today who have disobeyed, contemplated his decisions and determines that he must pray unto Jehovah.

“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. For thou didst cast me into the depth, in the heart of the seas, and the flood was round about me; all thy waves and thy billows passed over me” (Jonah 2:2-3).

The mark of a true follower of God is one’s willingness to “call unto Jehovah” at times of need. The great need of man is to be forgiven of sins and when one invokes or appeals to God’s help for said condition he or she will not be disappointed (cf. Joel 2:32; Acts 22:16). Jonah “called by reason of affliction unto Jehovah...” Let the Christian today call unto God for help at times when we are afflicted with pain, ill treatment, emotional duress, stress and any physical maladies. Jonah was in a perilous situation. A great fish, probably a whale, had swallowed the prophet and brought him into the depths of the sea. Jonah calls out unto God for help and the Lord heard the prophet’s cries. Jonah contributes his current distress to Jehovah. God had caused the fish to swallow the prophet and bring him into the depths of the sea.

“And I said, I am cast out from before thine eyes; Yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. The waters compassed me about, even to the soul; the deep was round about me; the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with its bars closed upon me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from the pit, O Jehovah my God” (Jonah 2:4-6).

The prophet’s prayer illustrates a condition of great fear and need of divine help. Without God Jonah was forever doomed. As the great fish plunged into the deep depths of the sea Jonah felt the anxiety as he was held somewhat motionless with seaweeds wrapped about him. He could do nothing but pray. Jonah’s hope lay in the fact that he was still alive and was confident thereby that Jehovah would save him.

“When my soul fainted within me, I remembered Jehovah; and my prayer came in unto thee, into thy holy temple” (Jonah 2:7).

When all seemed hopeless Jonah knew that there was only one to turn to in his time of great need, Jehovah of host. Jonah, knowing the omniscience of God, believed by faith that his prayer entered into the hearing of Jehovah.

“They that regard lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation is of Jehovah” (Jonah 2:8-9).

This appears to be a thematic verse for the book. Jonah prayed from the fish’s belly and concluded that, “They that regard lying vanities forsake their own mercy.” Those that put their trust into ways other than Jehovah have literally eliminated any possibility of receiving mercy for their wicked deeds. Jonah had placed his trust with his own ways. He determined that Nineveh was not fit to preach to and so he disobeyed God’s command. Now, through the “University of Hard Knocks,” the prophet has learned that God’s ways are the only ways that man may be saved. Jeremiah had to learn a similar lesson (cf. Jeremiah 15:9).

Application for today

When one gives “regard” to something he or she is “considering or taking into account... to give heed to” (AHD 1040). If I give serious consideration, take into account, or give heed to my own religious ideas, worldly interest, fleshly reason, or false teaching in general I have effectively eliminated any hope of receiving God’s mercy. Let us learn the fact of Christian hope. Peter, speaking of Jesus said, “In none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men wherein we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). To put one’s hope or trust in man’s religious ideas or the things of this world is utter foolishness.

“And Jehovah spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land” (Jonah 2:10).

Once the prophet illustrated a disposition of humility and sorrow over his mistakes the Lord was there to save. I find it fascinating that the Lord not only illustrates authority over the physical elements of the world (Matthew 8:25-27; Matthew 14:26-27), demons (Matthew 8:30-32), sickness, diseases, and physical deformities (Matthew 9:20-21; Matthew 9:29-31; Matthew 12:13-14), and life (Matthew 9:18-19) but he also commanded animals (Matthew 17:27; Jonah 2:10) and they obey his voice. We too aught to obey the authoritative voice of God.

Verses 7-9

Jon 2:7-9

GOD’S MESSENGER RUNNING TO GOD—
THE PROMISE OF JONAH

TEXT: Jonah 2:7-9

Jonah’s experience leaves him with only one place to turn for salvation—the merciful promises of God. To Him Jonah turns pledging himself to keep the vows he made to God.

Jonah 2:7 . . . MY SOUL FAINTED WITHIN ME, I REMEMBERED JEHOVAH; . . . As we pointed out earlier, only when a man is convinced that he cannot save himself—that all other ways, systems and helps are insufficient for his needs—only then will he turn to God. It is the authoritative statement of God’s Word that all men are lost and condemned in sin unless they believe and obey God’s Word. The primary objective of Christians then is to convince men of the authority of God’s Word, the Bible. This has to be done by presenting the empirical, historical evidences that the Bible is the Word of God. God, by providential acts upon the course of events, oftentimes brings men and women to know their impotency and insufficiency. Then they are ready to turn to Him, but if they do not accept the Bible as His word, how can they trust in the promises of it? Jonah knew the Lord—he knew the Word of the Lord was true. Now he realizes his insufficiency so he turns back to the promise of the Lord. He prays in his most extreme hour of need and finds the peace which passes understanding. Christians have an even surer “confidence” and are commanded to “come boldly” to the throne of grace (cf. Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 10:19-25).

Zerr: Jonah 2:7. This verse suggests an old and true saying, "Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity." When the conditions here described overcame Jonah, he was induced to look to God for help. Then he prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly.

Jonah 2:8 THEY THAT REGARD LYING VANITIES FORSAKE THEIR OWN MERCY, Jonah is here referring to the heathen who worship idols. When men refuse to have God in their knowledge they become vain in their reasoning (cf. Romans 1:18 ff; Ephesians 2:1 ff). The Bible speaks of the gods and idols of man’s invention as “vain,” (cf. Isaiah 40:18-23; Isaiah 41:21-24; Isaiah 44:6-20; Acts 17:22-29, etc.). The word translated “lying” means, literally, “a vapor” or “a breath.” “Vanity” means empty, void, worthless, useless. The gods men invent are dumb, speechless, powerless, useless, false and deceitful! This is also true of religious, theological, philosophical systems invented by men which do not conform to the revealed will of God in the Bible. When men worship or put their hope in such gods and systems they “cut off their noses to spite their faces.” They willingly turn their backs on the only hope of mercy which is found exclusively in Jehovah God. We do not believe Jonah had specific reference to the heathen sailors with whom he had just parted company. The statement of Jonah 2:8 forms what is known in Hebrew poetry as an antithetical parallelism. That is, Jonah is stating his praise for Jehovah God in the negative. Jonah’s reference to the nothingness of dead idols was calculated to heighten his praise of the living God! In Jonah 2:9 he makes the positive statement of his parallelism of praise.

Zerr: Jonah 2:8. The prayer of Jonah not only contained his appeal for help, but also was a recognition of some of the great principles which God has ever held out before mankind. Lying vanities evidently has reference to the devotion to idols which is constantly regarded as vain in the Bihle. Whoever depends on such helpless objects are working against their own best interests.

Jonah 2:9 . . . SACRIFICE UNTO THEE WITH THE VOICE OF THANKSGIVING . . . PAY THAT WHICH I HAVE VOWED . . . SALVATION IS OF JEHOVAH, The sacrifices with which God is most pleased, offered by Jonah here, are, the fruit of lips given to praise Him and a life surrendered, committed to His service, (cf. Psalms 51:15-17; Hebrews 13:15-16). Jonah’s vow was not extraordinary or peculiar; it was common for Jews to make vows in time of need, with the expectation of keeping the promise after relief was granted. Vows were never regarded as a religious duty even in the O.T. (cf. Deuteronomy 23:22). But when a vow was made God considered it binding (cf. Deuteronomy 23:21-23; Judges 11:35; Ecclesiastes 5:4; Psalms 66:13). Vows as such are not required in the N.T. neither are they prohibited. Jesus mentions vows only to condemn the abuse of them (Matthew 15:4-6; Mark 7:10-13; Matthew 23:16-22). But we most certainly must surrender and commit our entire being to the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Romans 12:1-2) and we must confess with the mouth that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father (cf. Romans 10:9-10). If this is vowing then vow we must! The Hebrew word for “salvation” is the same word which we translated Joshua for it is a contraction of Jehoshua which means “Jehovah is salvation.” The Greek rendering of Joshua is Jesus. Jonah now knew by experience that the help he needed could come only from the Lord!

Zerr: Jonah 2:9. The mention of Sacrifice and vows is a promise of continued devotion to God upon his deliverance from the helpless condition surrounding him; in other words, it is an indication of a truly penitent heart. Jonah is certain that if he is ever enabled to resume a life of religious services it will have to be through the help of God, for Salvation is of the Lord.

Questions

1. What two things are necessary, oftentimes, before men will turn to the Lord?

2. Why are gods and systems of men “vain?”

3. With what type of sacrifices is God most pleased?

4. Should Christians make religious vows?

Verse 10

Jon 2:10

GOD’S MESSENGER RUNNING TO GOD—
THE PRESERVATION OF JONAH

TEXT: Jonah 2:10

Jonah is delivered with a second opportunity to carry out his commission from the Lord.

Jonah 2:10 . . . JEHOVAH SPAKE UNTO THE FISH, AND IT VOMITED OUT JONAH . . . God has set the whole creation, except man, to function through orderly laws and instincts imposed upon it by His will. Man He created in His own spiritual image with a will free to make moral choice. But God, impels by a certain divine and secret power, as Cyril says, animal and inanimate creation to do His will in a miraculous way when it serves His purpose to do so, (cf. Balaam’s ass, Numbers 22:21-30; the star of Bethlehem, Matthew 2:2; Matthew 2:9). The land upon which Jonah was “spewed out” is not known for certain but we assume it to be the coast of Palestine or Syria (K & D think it was near Joppa where he boarded the ship to run away).

Zerr: Jonah 2:10. Strong says the original for spake is "used with great latitude.” A fish is not an intelligent creature, but God could induce it to perform any act suitable to His will. Dry does not necessarily mean absolutely without moisture, but ground not covered or saturated with water on which a man could stand with sure footing. The fish could float out to the brink of the sea and spue Jonah from bis mouth onto the place where the ground was not covered with water.

Questions

1. Cite other incidents where God has imposed His will on animals to use them miraculously.

2. How long was Jonah’s life preserved by God in the belly of this fish?

Bible Questions for Jonah Chapter Two

Jonah 2:1 What was Jonah’s situation? What did Jonah do?

Jonah 2:2 What was Jonah’s situation? Whom did Jonah expect to be able to help him? What happened?

Jonah 2:3 How does Jonah describe his situation?

Jonah 2:4 What did Jonah think had happened to him?

Jonah 2:5 What had been Jonah’s situation?

Jonah 2:6 What does Jonah describe? Whom does Jonah speak to? Why?

Jonah 2:7 What happened to Jonah? What did the *Lord do?

Jonah 2:8 When you *worship something other than the *Lord God, what happens?

Jonah 2:9 What promises did Jonah make to the *Lord? What did Jonah say about the *Lord?

Jonah 2:10 What did the fish know of the *Lord? How did the fish show it understood?