Jonah 1:11

Jonah Cast into the Sea

11 Now the sea was growing worse and worse, so they said to Jonah, “What must we do to you to calm this sea for us?”

Jonah 1:11 Meaning and Commentary

Jonah 1:11

Then said they unto him, what shall we do unto thee
Though, both by the lot and his own confession, they knew he was the guilty person; for whose sake this storm was; yet were unwilling to do anything to him without his will and consent, his counsel and advice; perceiving that he was a prophet of the God of the Hebrews, whom he had offended, and knew the mind and will of his God, and the nature of his offence against him, and what only would appease him they desire him to tell what they ought to do; fearing that, though they had found out the man, they should make a mistake in their manner of dealing with him, and so continue the distress they were in, or increase it; their great concern being to be rid of the storm: that the sea may be calm unto us?
or "silent" ^F8? for the waves thereof made a hideous roaring, and lifted up themselves so high, as was terrible to behold; and dashed with such vehemence against the ship, as threatened it every moment with destruction: (for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous);
or, "it went and swelled" {i}; it was agitated to and fro, and was in a great ferment, and grew more and more stormy and tempestuous. Jonah's confession of his sin, and true repentance for it, were not sufficient; more must be one to appease an angry God; and what that was the sailors desired to know. These words are inserted in a parenthesis with us, as if put by the writer of the book, pointing out the reason of the men's request; but, according to Kimchi: they are their own words, giving a reason why they were so pressing upon him to know what they should do with him, "seeing the sea was going and stormy" ^F11; or more and more stormy; which seems right.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 (qtvyw) "ut sileat", Pagninus, Vatablus, Mercerus, Drusius; "et silebit", Montanus; "ut conticeseat", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Burkius.
F9 (reow Klwh) "ibat et intumescebat", Pagninus, Vatablus, Drusius.
F11 "Vadeus et turbinans", Montanus; "magis ac magis procellosum erat", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "inhorrescebat", Cocceius.

Jonah 1:11 In-Context

9 “I am a Hebrew,” replied Jonah. “I worship the LORD, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.”

10 Then the men were even more afraid and said to him, “What have you done?” The men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

11 Now the sea was growing worse and worse, so they said to Jonah, “What must we do to you to calm this sea for us?”

12 “Pick me up,” he answered, “and cast me into the sea, so it may quiet down for you. For I know that I am to blame for this violent storm that has come upon you.”

13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea was raging against them more and more.