Jonah 2
1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,
2 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.
3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.
4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.
5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.
7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
10 And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.
World Behind This Chapter
Explore the people, places, language, history, and material world connected to Jonah 2.
Does Jonah 2 describe a “whale”?
The Hebrew text uses dāg gādôl, “a great fish,” without identifying a species. “Whale” comes from later translation and reception traditions rather than zoological precision in Jonah itself.
Was the prayer in Jonah 2 composed as part of the story?
The prayer resembles a thanksgiving psalm and can feel surprising inside a scene of distress. Scholars debate whether it was composed for Jonah or incorporated from an existing psalm-like tradition.
Why does the prayer sound so much like the Psalms?
Phrases about distress, Sheol, waters, the temple, and thanksgiving echo familiar psalmic vocabulary. Comparing the language shows how biblical writers could place traditional prayer forms inside new narratives.
Research PathsCurated links for exploring this chapter 3
Language & Literature2
- Jonah 2 in Hebrew and EnglishMechon Mamre
Presents the Hebrew poem beside an English translation. Useful for studying the imagery of Sheol, the heart of the seas, surrounding currents, descending to mountain roots, prison bars, the temple, breath or life fading, empty idols, vows, salvation, and the fish’s release of Jonah.
- Jonah 2: Texts in ConversationIntertextual Bible
Collects parallels between Jonah’s prayer and biblical psalms involving distress, watery depths, Sheol, engulfing waves, seaweed, temple remembrance, answered prayer, thanksgiving, vows, and rescue from death. It helps readers see how the poem is constructed from conventional lament and thanksgiving language.
Artifacts & Manuscripts1
- Roman Sarcophagus Depicting Jonah and the Sea MonsterBritish Museum
Visible late Roman stone sarcophagus decorated with scenes from the Jonah story, including the ship, sea monster, Jonah’s rescue, and the plant. Although created many centuries after the biblical book, it documents the story’s early visual reception and the development of familiar Jonah imagery.
Public Discussion
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