Jonah 1:13

13 But the men rowed [hard] to bring [the ship]^[a] back to the dry land, and they could not [do so] because the sea {was growing more and more tempestuous}^[b] against them.

Jonah 1:13 Meaning and Commentary

Jonah 1:13

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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 (wrtxyw) "et fodiebant", Montanus, Calvin, Piscator, Tarnovius; "foderunt", Vatablus, Liveleus.

Jonah 1:13 In-Context

11 So they said to him, "What shall we do to you so that the sea may quiet down for us?" because the sea {was growing more and more tempestuous}.

12 And he said to them, "Pick me up and hurl me into the sea so that the sea may quiet down for you, because I know that on account of me this great storm [has come] upon you all."

13 But the men rowed [hard] to bring [the ship] back to the dry land, and they could not [do so] because the sea {was growing more and more tempestuous} against them.

14 So they cried out to Yahweh, and they said, "O Yahweh! Please do not let us perish because of this man's life, and {do not make us guilty of innocent blood}, because you, O Yahweh, did what you wanted."

15 And they picked Jonah up and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.

Footnotes

• [a]. Here the direct object is supplied from context
• [b]. Literally "going/growing and storming"