Part 1044

Tharsis.... Which some take to be Tharsus of Cilicia, others to be Tartessus of Spain, others to be Carthage.

1:4. But the Lord sent a great wind into the sea: and a great tempest was raised in the sea, and the ship was in danger to be broken.

1:5. And the mariners were afraid, and the men cried to their god: and they cast forth the wares that were in the ship, into the sea, to lighten it of them: and Jonas went down into the inner part of the ship, and fell into a deep sleep.

A deep sleep.... This is a lively image of the insensibility of sinners, fleeing from God, and threatened on every side with his judgments: and yet sleeping as if they were secure.

1:6. And the ship master came to him and said to him: Why art thou fast asleep? rise up call upon thy God, if so be that God will think of us that we may not perish.

1:7. And they said every one to his fellow: Come and let us cast lots, that we may know why this evil is upon us. And they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonas.

1:8. And they said to him: Tell us for what cause this evil is upon us, what is thy business? of what country art thou? and whither goest thou? or of what people art thou?

1:9. And he said to them: I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made both the sea and the dry land.

1:10. And the men were greatly afraid, and they said to him: Why hast thou done this? (For the men knew that he fled from the face of the Lord: because he had told them.)

1:11. And they said to him: What shall we do with thee, that the sea may be calm to us? for the sea flowed and swelled.

1:12. And he said to them: take me up, and cast me into the sea, and the sea shall be calm to you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

1:13. And the men rowed hard to return to land, but they were not able: because the sea tossed and swelled upon them.

1:14. And they cried to the Lord, and said: We beseech thee, O Lord let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee.

1:15. And they took Jonas, and cast him into the sea, and the sea ceased from raging.

1:16. And the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and sacrificed victims to the Lord, and made vows.

Jonas Chapter 2

Jonas is swallowed up by a great fish: he prayeth with confidence in God; and the fish casteth him out on the dry land.

2:1. Now the Lord prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonas: and Jonas was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.

2:2. And Jonas prayed to the Lord, his God, out of the belly of the fish.

2:3. And he said: I cried out of my affliction to the Lord, and he heard me: I cried out of the belly of hell, and thou hast heard my voice.

2:4. And thou hast cast me forth into the deep, in the heart of the sea, and a flood hath compassed me: all thy billows, and thy waves have passed over me.

2:5. And I said: I am cast away out of the sight of thy eyes: but yet I shall see thy holy temple again.

2:6. The waters compassed me about even to the soul: the deep hath closed me round about, the sea hath covered my head.

2:7. I went down to the lowest parts of the mountains: the bars of the earth have shut me up for ever: and thou wilt bring up my life from corruption, O Lord, my God.

2:8. When my soul was in distress within me, I remembered the Lord: that my prayer may come to thee, unto thy holy temple.

2:9. They that in vain observe vanities, forsake their own mercy.

2:10. But I with the voice of praise will sacrifice to thee: I will pay whatsoever I have vowed for my salvation to the Lord.

2:11. And the Lord spoke to the fish: and it vomited out Jonas upon the dry land.