11 The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying , 2 "Arise , go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me." 3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord . So he went down to Joppa , found a ship which was going to Tarshish , paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord .
4 The Lord hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to [1]break up. 5 Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god , and they threw the [2]cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it [3]for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship , lain down and fallen sound asleep . 6 So the captain e approached him and said , "How is it that you are sleeping ? Get up, call on your god . Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish ." 7 Each man said to his mate , "Come , let us cast lots so we may [4]learn on whose account this calamity has struck us." So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah . 8 Then they said to him, " Tell us, now ! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation ? And where do you come from? What is your country ? From what e people are you?" 9 He said to them, "I am a Hebrew , and I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land ." 10 Then the men became extremely e frightened and they said to him, "[5]How could you do this ?" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord , because he had told them.
11 So they said to him, "What should we do to you that the sea may become calm [6]for us?"-for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jonah 1:1-11
Commentary on Jonah 1:1-3
(Read Jonah 1:1-3)
It is sad to think how much sin is committed in great cities. Their wickedness, as that of Nineveh, is a bold and open affront to God. Jonah must go at once to Nineveh, and there, on the spot, cry against the wickedness of it. Jonah would not go. Probably there are few among us who would not have tried to decline such a mission. Providence seemed to give him an opportunity to escape; we may be out of the way of duty, and yet may meet with a favourable gale. The ready way is not always the right way. See what the best of men are, when God leaves them to themselves; and what need we have, when the word of the Lord comes to us, to have the Spirit of the Lord to bring every thought within us into obedience.
Commentary on Jonah 1:4-7
(Read Jonah 1:4-7)
God sent a pursuer after Jonah, even a mighty tempest. Sin brings storms and tempests into the soul, into the family, into churches and nations; it is a disquieting, disturbing thing. Having called upon their gods for help, the sailors did what they could to help themselves. Oh that men would be thus wise for their souls, and would be willing to part with that wealth, pleasure, and honour, which they cannot keep without making shipwreck of faith and a good conscience, and ruining their souls for ever! Jonah was fast asleep. Sin is stupifying, and we are to take heed lest at any time our hearts are hardened by the deceitfulness of it. What do men mean by sleeping on in sin, when the word of God and the convictions of their own consciences, warn them to arise and call on the Lord, if they would escape everlasting misery? Should not we warn each other to awake, to arise, to call upon our God, if so be he will deliver us? The sailors concluded the storm was a messenger of Divine justice sent to some one in that ship. Whatever evil is upon us at any time, there is a cause for it; and each must pray, Lord, show me wherefore thou contendest with me. The lot fell upon Jonah. God has many ways of bringing to light hidden sins and sinners, and making manifest that folly which was thought to be hid from the eyes of all living.
Commentary on Jonah 1:8-12
(Read Jonah 1:8-12)
Jonah gave an account of his religion, for that was his business. We may hope that he told with sorrow and shame, justifying God, condemning himself, and explaining to the mariners what a great God Jehovah is. They said to him, Why hast thou done this? If thou fearest the God that made the sea and the dry land, why wast thou such a fool as to think thou couldst flee from his presence? If the professors of religion do wrong, they will hear it from those who make no such profession. When sin has raised a storm, and laid us under the tokens of God's displeasure, we must consider what is to be done to the sin that raised the storm. Jonah uses the language of true penitents, who desire that none but themselves may fare the worse for their sins and follies. Jonah sees this to be the punishment of his iniquity, he accepts it, and justifies God in it. When conscience is awakened, and a storm raised, nothing will turn it into a calm but parting with the sin that caused the disturbance. Parting with our money will not pacify the conscience, the Jonah must be thrown overboard.