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.
Common Questions About Jonah 2
What does Jonah do inside the great fish in chapter 2?
From inside the fish, Jonah prays a psalm-like prayer of thanksgiving and trust, acknowledging his desperate situation, remembering the LORD, and expressing confidence that God has heard him and will deliver him, even before his rescue is complete.
How does the chapter conclude?
In response to Jonah's prayer, God commands the fish, and it vomits Jonah out onto dry land, giving him a second chance to fulfill the mission he had originally tried to escape.
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Questions to Think About
- Jonah's prayer expressed trust and thanksgiving even while still inside the fish, before his circumstances had actually changed. How do you practice gratitude and trust in the middle of an unresolved difficulty?
- God gave Jonah a second chance after his disobedience rather than abandoning him. How does this shape your understanding of God's patience with your own failures?
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