Jonah 1
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Now the word of YHWH came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
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Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is
come up before me.
3
But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of YHWH; and he went down
to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid its fare, and went
down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of YHWH.
4
But YHWH sent out a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the
sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
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Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man to his god; and they cast forth
the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it to them. But Jonah was
gone down into the innermost parts of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
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So the shipmaster came to him, and said to him, What mean you, O sleeper? arise, call
upon your God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
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And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know
for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
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Then said they to him, Tell us, we pray you, for whose cause this evil is upon us;
what is your occupation? and whence come you? what is your country? and of what people
are you?
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And he said to them, I am a Hebrew; and I fear YHWH, the God of heaven, who has made
the sea and the dry land.
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Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said to him, What is this that you have
done? For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of YHWH, because he had
told them.
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Then said they to him, What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us? for
the sea grew more and more tempestuous.
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And he said to them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea
be calm to you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.
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Nevertheless the men rowed hard to get them back to the land; but they could not:
for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.
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Wherefore they cried to YHWH, and said, We beseech you, O YHWH, we beseech you, let
us not perish for this man`s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood; for you, O
YHWH, have done as it pleased you.
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So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea; and the sea ceased from its
raging.
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Then the men feared YHWH exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice to YHWH, and made
vows.
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And YHWH prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of
the fish three days and three nights.