Jonah 1:14
New International Version
Then they cried out to the LORD, “Please, LORD, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, LORD, have done as you pleased.”

New Living Translation
Then they cried out to the LORD, Jonah’s God. “O LORD,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O LORD, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.”

English Standard Version
Therefore they called out to the LORD, “O LORD, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you.”

Berean Standard Bible
So they cried out to the LORD: “Please, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life! Do not charge us with innocent blood! For You, O LORD, have done as You pleased.”

King James Bible
Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, 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.

New King James Version
Therefore they cried out to the LORD and said, “We pray, O LORD, please do not let us perish for this man’s life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O LORD, have done as it pleased You.”

New American Standard Bible
Then they cried out to the LORD and said, “We earnestly pray, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life, and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, LORD, have done as You pleased.”

NASB 1995
Then they called on the LORD and said, “We earnestly pray, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O LORD, have done as You have pleased.”

NASB 1977
Then they called on the LORD and said, “We earnestly pray, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life and do not put innocent blood on us; for Thou, O LORD, hast done as Thou hast pleased.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then they called on Yahweh and said, “Ah! O Yahweh, we earnestly pray, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life, and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O Yahweh, as You have pleased You have done.”

Amplified Bible
Then they called on the LORD and said, “Please, O LORD, do not let us perish because of taking this man’s life, and do not make us accountable for innocent blood; for You, O LORD, have done as You pleased.”

Christian Standard Bible
So they called out to the LORD, “Please, LORD, don’t let us perish because of this man’s life, and don’t charge us with innocent blood! For you, LORD, have done just as you pleased.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So they called out to the LORD: “Please, Yahweh, don’t let us perish because of this man’s life, and don’t charge us with innocent blood! For You, Yahweh, have done just as You pleased.”

American Standard Version
Wherefore they cried unto Jehovah, and said, We beseech thee, O Jehovah, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood; for thou, O Jehovah, hast done as it pleased thee.

Contemporary English Version
So they prayed to the LORD, "Please don't let us drown for taking this man's life. Don't hold us guilty for killing an innocent man. All of this happened because you wanted it to."

English Revised Version
Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So they cried to the LORD for help: "Please, LORD, don't let us die for taking this man's life. Don't hold us responsible for the death of an innocent man, because you, LORD, do whatever you want."

Good News Translation
So they cried out to the LORD, "O LORD, we pray, don't punish us with death for taking this man's life! You, O LORD, are responsible for all this; it is your doing."

International Standard Version
At last they cried out to the LORD, "Please, LORD, do not let us perish because of this man's life, and do not hold us responsible for innocent blood, because you, LORD, have done what pleased you."

Majority Standard Bible
So they cried out to the LORD: ?Please, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man?s life! Do not charge us with innocent blood! For You, O LORD, have done as You pleased.?

NET Bible
So they cried out to the LORD, "Oh, please, LORD, don't let us die on account of this man! Don't hold us guilty of shedding innocent blood. After all, you, LORD, have done just as you pleased."

New Heart English Bible
Therefore they cried to the LORD, and said, "We beg you, LORD, we beg you, let us not perish for this man's life, and do not lay on us innocent blood; for you, LORD, have done as it pleased you."

Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore they cried to the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, 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.

World English Bible
Therefore they cried to Yahweh, and said, “We beg you, Yahweh, we beg you, don’t let us die for this man’s life, and don’t lay on us innocent blood; for you, Yahweh, have done as it pleased you.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they cry to YHWH, and say, “Ah, now, O YHWH, please do not let us perish for this man’s life, and do not lay innocent blood on us! For You, YHWH, as You have pleased, You have done.”

Young's Literal Translation
And they cry unto Jehovah, and say, 'We pray Thee, O Jehovah, let us not, we pray Thee, perish for this man's life, and do not lay on us innocent blood, for Thou, Jehovah, as Thou hast pleased, Thou hast done.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will call to Jehovah, and say, Ah, now, O Jehovah, not now shall we perish for the soul of this man, and thou wilt not give upon us innocent blood: for thou Jehovah didst as thou pleased.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they cried out to the Lord, and they said, “We beseech you, Lord, do not let us perish for this man’s life, and do not attribute to us innocent blood. For you, Lord, have done just as it pleased you.”

New American Bible
Then they cried to the LORD: “Please, O LORD, do not let us perish for taking this man’s life; do not charge us with shedding innocent blood, for you, LORD, have accomplished what you desired.”

New Revised Standard Version
Then they cried out to the LORD, “Please, O LORD, we pray, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life. Do not make us guilty of innocent blood; for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Therefore 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 art the LORD and hast done as it pleased thee.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they called to LORD JEHOVAH and they said: ’Oh, LORD JEHOVAH, we will not be destroyed with the life of this man, and do not account innocent blood against us, because you are LORD JEHOVAH, and as you please you do!’
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said: 'We beseech Thee, O LORD, we beseech Thee, 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.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they cried to the Lord, and said, Forbid it, Lord: let us not perish for the sake of this man's life, and bring not righteous blood upon us: for thou, Lord, hast done as thou wouldest.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jonah Cast Into the Sea and Swallowed
13Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea was raging against them more and more. 14So they cried out to the LORD: “Please, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life! Do not charge us with innocent blood! For You, O LORD, have done as You pleased.” 15At this, they picked up Jonah and cast him into the sea, and the raging sea grew calm.…

Cross References
Matthew 8:25-26
The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” / “You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm.

Mark 4:38-39
But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?” / Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.

Luke 8:24-25
The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and they subsided, and all was calm. / “Where is your faith?” He asked. Frightened and amazed, they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him!”

Acts 27:23-25
For just last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me / and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And look, God has granted you the lives of all who sail with you.’ / So take courage, men, for I believe God that it will happen just as He told me.

Romans 9:18
Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.

James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Matthew 12:41
The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here.

Luke 11:32
The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here.

Acts 17:30
Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.

Psalm 107:28-30
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress. / He calmed the storm to a whisper, and the waves of the sea were hushed. / They rejoiced in the silence, and He guided them to the harbor they desired.

Exodus 9:28
Pray to the LORD, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go; you do not need to stay any longer.”

1 Samuel 12:19
They pleaded with Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die! For we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king.”

2 Kings 17:13-14
Yet through all His prophets and seers, the LORD warned Israel and Judah, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways and keep My commandments and statutes, according to the entire Law that I commanded your fathers and delivered to you through My servants the prophets.” / But they would not listen, and they stiffened their necks like their fathers, who did not believe the LORD their God.

Jeremiah 18:8
But if that nation I warned turns from its evil, then I will relent of the disaster I had planned to bring.


Treasury of Scripture

Why they cried to the LORD, and said, We beseech you, O LORD, we beseech you, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not on us innocent blood: for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you.

they.

Jonah 1:5,16
Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep…

Psalm 107:28
Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

Isaiah 26:16
LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.

let.

Genesis 9:6
Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

Deuteronomy 21:8
Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.

Acts 28:4
And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

for.

Psalm 115:3
But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

Psalm 135:6
Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

Daniel 4:34,35
And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: …

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Jonah 1
1. Jonah, sent to Nineveh, flees to Tarshish.
4. He is betrayed by a great storm;
11. thrown into the sea;
17. and swallowed by a fish.














So they cried out to the LORD
This phrase marks a pivotal moment in the narrative, where the sailors, who were likely polytheistic, turn to the God of Israel in their desperation. The Hebrew word for "cried out" is "זָעַק" (za'aq), which conveys a sense of urgent, fervent pleading. This highlights the sailors' recognition of the LORD's supreme power, a significant shift from their initial prayers to their own gods. It underscores the universal reach of God's sovereignty and the innate human response to seek divine intervention in times of crisis.

Please, O LORD
The repetition of "LORD" (YHWH) emphasizes the sailors' acknowledgment of the God of Israel as the one true God. The use of "please" indicates a respectful and earnest appeal, reflecting a humble approach to God. This moment is significant as it shows a transition from fear to faith, even if momentarily, in the hearts of the sailors. It serves as a reminder of God's readiness to hear the cries of all who call upon Him, regardless of their background.

do not let us perish for this man's life
Here, the sailors express their concern for their own lives, recognizing the gravity of the situation. The phrase "for this man's life" indicates their understanding that Jonah's presence and actions have brought this calamity upon them. The Hebrew word for "perish" is "אָבַד" (avad), which conveys a sense of being lost or destroyed. This plea reflects a deep-seated human instinct for survival and a recognition of the sanctity of life, even amidst dire circumstances.

and do not charge us with innocent blood
This part of the verse reveals the sailors' moral and ethical concerns. They are aware of the potential guilt associated with taking Jonah's life, even if indirectly. The phrase "innocent blood" is significant in biblical terms, as shedding innocent blood is considered a grave sin. This reflects the sailors' desire to act justly and their fear of divine retribution. It highlights the universal moral law that transcends cultural and religious boundaries.

For You, O LORD, have done as You pleased
This acknowledgment of God's sovereignty is profound. The sailors recognize that the storm and their predicament are ultimately under God's control. The phrase "as You pleased" suggests an acceptance of God's will, even if it is beyond human understanding. This submission to divine authority is a central theme in the Bible, reminding believers of the importance of trusting in God's plan, even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty.

(14) Wherefore they cried unto the Lord.--There is presented here, as throughout the book, a strong contrast between the readiness of the heathen to receive religious impressions, and the stubbornness and obstinacy of Israel.

For this man's life . . .--i.e., for taking it. The law of retaliation was as familiar to them as to the Hebrews (Deuteronomy 19:21). (Comp. 2Samuel 14:7.)

For thou.--The original is more impressive: For Thou, Jehovah, as it hath phased Thee, Thou hast done. The storm, the lot, the request of the prophet himself, all showed that the sailors were but instruments in carrying out the Divine purpose.

Verse 14. - They cried unto the Lord. They prayed no longer to their gods, as before (ver. 5), but unto Jehovah, the God of Jonah. Let us not perish for this man's life. Let us not incur death for taking this man's life. They seem to know something of the Noachic law that punished murder (Genesis 9:5, 6). Lay not upon us innocent blood. Charge us not with the guilt of shedding innocent blood (Deuteronomy 21:8). For thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee (1 Samuel 3:18). The whole affair has happened according to thy will. The tempest, the lot, the sentence, are all the working of thy providence. The prophet throughout brings into prominence the contrast between the behaviour of these heathen and his own, and would teach his nation a lesson thereby.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So they cried out
וַיִּקְרְא֨וּ (way·yiq·rə·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the LORD:
יְהוָ֜ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

“Please,
אָנָּ֤ה (’ān·nāh)
Interjection
Strong's 577: Ah, now! I (we) beseech you!

O LORD,
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

let us perish
נֹאבְדָ֗ה (nō·ḇə·ḏāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish

on account of this
הַזֶּ֔ה (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

man's
הָאִ֣ישׁ (hā·’îš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

life!
בְּנֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ (bə·ne·p̄eš)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

Do not
וְאַל־ (wə·’al-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

charge
תִּתֵּ֥ן (tit·tên)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

us
עָלֵ֖ינוּ (‘ā·lê·nū)
Preposition | first person common plural
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

with innocent
נָקִ֑יא (nā·qî)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 5355: Clean, free from, exempt

blood!
דָּ֣ם (dām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed

For
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

You,
אַתָּ֣ה (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

O LORD,
יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

have done
עָשִֽׂיתָ׃ (‘ā·śî·ṯā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

as
כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

You pleased.”
חָפַ֖צְתָּ (ḥā·p̄aṣ·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 2654: To incline to, to bend, to be pleased with, desire


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OT Prophets: Jonah 1:14 Therefore they cried to Yahweh and said (Jon. Jh)
Jonah 1:13
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