Jonah 2:3

3 You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me.

Jonah 2:3 in Other Translations

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.

3 For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me.

3 You threw me into the ocean depths, and I sank down to the heart of the sea. The mighty waters engulfed me; I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves.

3 You threw me into ocean's depths, into a watery grave, With ocean waves, ocean breakers crashing over me.

3 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.

3 You threw me into the deep, into the depths of the sea, and water surrounded me. All the whitecaps on your waves have swept over me.

3 You threw me into the depths, into the heart of the seas, and the current overcame me. All Your breakers and Your billows swept over me.

3 You threw me into the Mediterranean Sea. I was in the middle of its waters. They were all around me. All of your rolling waves were sweeping over me.

Jonah 2:3 Meaning and Commentary

Jonah 2:3

For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas,
&c.] Though the mariners did this, yet Jonah ascribes it to the Lord; he knew it was he, whom he had sinned against and offended; that he was he that sent the storm after him into the sea; that determined the lot to fall upon him; that it was not only by his permission, but according to his will, that he should be east into it, and overcame the reluctance of the men to it, and so worked upon them that they did it; and therefore Jonah imputes it to him, and not to them; nor does he complain of it, or murmur at it; or censure it as an unrighteous action, or as hard, cruel, and severe; but rather mentions it to set off the greatness of his deliverance: and by this it appears, that it was far from shore when Jonah was cast into the sea, it was the great deep; and which also is confirmed by the large fish which swallowed him, which could, not swim but in deep waters; and because of the multitude of the waters, called "seas", and "in the heart" ^F3 of them, as it may be rendered; and agreeably Christ the antitype of Jonah lay in the heart of the earth, ( Matthew 12:40 ) ; and the floods compassed me about; all thy billows and thy waves passed
over me;
which was his case as soon as cast into the sea, before the fish had swallowed him, as well as after: this was literally true of Jonah, what David says figuratively concerning his afflictions, and from whom the prophet seems to borrow the expressions, ( Psalms 42:7 ) ; and indeed he might use them also in a metaphorical sense, with a view to the afflictions of body, and sorrows of death, that compassed him; and to the billows and waves of divine wrath, which in his apprehension lay upon him, and rolled over him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (bblk) "in corde", V. L. Cocceius; "in cor", Montanus, Drusius.

Jonah 2:3 In-Context

1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God.

2 He said: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry.

3 You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me.

4 I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’

5 The engulfing waters threatened me,the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head.

Cross References

• 1. S Psalms 88:6
• 2. S 2 Samuel 22:5
• 3. S Psalms 42:7