¶ Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah¹ the son of Amittai, saying,

Arise, go to Nineveh³, that great city, and cry⁴ against it; for⁵ their wickedness is come up before me.

But Jonah rose up to flee⁶ unto Tarshish from⁷ the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa⁸; and he found a ship going to Tarshish⁹: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

¶ But the LORD¹⁰ sent out¹¹ a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

Then the mariners were afraid, and cried¹² every man unto his god, and cast¹³ forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides¹⁴ of the ship; and he lay, and was¹⁵ fast asleep.

So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What¹⁶ meanest thou, O sleeper? arise¹⁷, call upon thy God, if¹⁸ so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

And they said every¹⁹ one to his fellow, Come, and let²⁰ us cast lots, that we may know for²¹ whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the²² lot fell upon Jonah.

Then said they unto him, Tell²³ us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine²⁴ occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

And he said unto them, I am²⁵ an Hebrew; and I²⁶ fear the LORD²⁷, the God of heaven, which²⁸ hath made the sea and the dry land.

¶ Then were²⁹ the men exceedingly afraid³⁰, and said unto him, Why³¹ hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled³² from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

¶ Then said they unto him, What³³ shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us?³⁴ for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

And he said unto them, Take³⁵ me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for³⁶ I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

Nevertheless the³⁷ men rowed³⁸ hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.

Wherefore they³⁹ cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let⁴⁰ us not perish for⁴¹ this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.

So they⁴² took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the⁴³ sea ceased⁴⁴ from her raging.

Then the men feared⁴⁵ the LORD exceedingly, and offered⁴⁶ a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made⁴⁷ vows.

Now the LORD⁴⁸ had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in⁴⁹ the belly⁵⁰ of the fish three days and three nights.