1And the word of יהוה came to Yonah son of Amittai, saying,

2“Arise, go to Ninewĕh, the great city, and cry out against it, for their evils have come up before Me.”

3But Yonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of יהוה, and went down to Yapho, and found a ship going to Tarshish. And he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of יהוה.

4And יהוה sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a great storm on the sea, so that the ship was thought to be broken up.

5And the seamen were afraid, and each one cried out to his mighty one, and threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Yonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, and he lay down, and was fast asleep.

6And the captain came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, cry out to your Elohim, if so be that Elohim shall think about us, so that we do not perish.”

7And they said to each other, “Come, and let us cast lots, so that we know for whose sake this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Yonah.

8So they said to him, “Please explain to us! For whose sake is this evil upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And from what people are you?”

9And he said to them, “I am a Heḇrew. And I am fearing יהוה, the Elohim of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.”

10And the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?” For the men knew that he fled from the presence of יהוה, for he had informed them.

11And they said to him, “What are we to do to you to make the sea calm for us?” For the sea was growing more stormy.

12And he said to them, “Take me and throw me into the sea, so that the sea becomes calm for you. For I know that this great storm is because of me.”

13However, the men rowed hard to bring the ship to land, but were unable, for the sea continued to grow more stormy against them.

14And they cried out to יהוה and said, “We pray, O יהוה, please, let us not perish for this man’s life, and do not lay on us innocent blood. For You, O יהוה, have done as it pleased You.”

15Then they took Yonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped raging.

16And the men feared יהוה exceedingly, and brought an offering to יהוה and made vows.

17But יהוה appointed a great fish to swallow Yonah. And Yonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.