Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to bring [it] to the
land,
but they could not
Or, "they digged" F12; that is, the waters of the sea
with their oars; not by casting anchor, as Abendana; they used
all their skill and exerted all their strength; they laboured
with all their might and main, as a man digs in a pit; they
ploughed the ocean, and furrowed the sea, as the Latins speak,
but all in vain; they rowed against wind and tide; God, his
purposes and providence, were against them; and it was not
possible for them to make land, and get the ship ashore, which
they were desirous of, to save the life of Jonah, as well as
their own; for, seeing him penitent, they had compassion on him;
his character and profession as a prophet, the gravity of the
man, the sedateness of his countenance, his openness of mind, and
his willingness to die, wrought greatly upon the men, that they
would fain have saved him if they could; and perhaps being
Heathens, and not knowing thoroughly the nature of his offence,
might think he did not deserve to die; but all their endeavours
to save him were to no purpose: for the sea wrought, and
was tempestuous against them;
it grew more and more so; the storm beat right against them, and
drove them back faster than they came; so that it was impossible
to stand against it.
F12 (wrtxyw) "et fodiebant", Montanus, Calvin, Piscator, Tarnovius; "foderunt", Vatablus, Liveleus.
