1 Now the Word of Jehovah came to Jonah, the son of Amittai, saying,

2 Arise, go to Nineveh, the great city, and cry out against it; for their evil has come up before Me.

3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah. And he went down to Joppa, and he found a ship going to Tarshish. And he paid its fare and went down into it in order to go with them to Tarshish, from the presence of Jehovah.

4 But Jehovah hurled a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that they thought the ship would break in pieces.

5 And the sailors were afraid, and each man cried to his god. And they threw out the ship’s implements into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship; and he lay down, and was sound asleep.

6 And the captain came near to him and said to him, What is this, O sleeper? Rise up and cry out to your God! Perhaps your God will think on us, and we will not perish.

7 And they said one to another, Come and let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us. And they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

8 And they said to him, Please tell us on account of whom is this evil upon us? What is your occupation? And from where do you come? What is your land, and of what people are you?

9 And he said to them, I am a Hebrew. And I fear Jehovah the God of Heaven, who has made the sea and the dry land.

10 Then the men were terrified with great fear and said to him, What is this you have done? For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of Jehovah, because he had told them.

11 Then they said to him, What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us? For the sea was going on and being stormy.

12 And he said to them, Take me up and throw me out into the sea. And the sea will be calm for you. For I know that this great storm is upon you because of me.

13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but they were not able, for the sea was going on and being stormy against them.

14 Therefore they cried out to Jehovah, and said, We beseech You, O Jehovah, we beseech You, do not let us perish for this man’s life, and do not lay innocent blood on us. For You, O Jehovah, have done as it pleased You.

15 And they lifted Jonah up and threw him into the sea. And the sea ceased from its raging.

16 Then the men revered Jehovah with great fear and offered a sacrifice to Jehovah, and vowed vows.

17 Now Jehovah had appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.