Jonah 2

King James Version

Full text for Jonah Chapter 2

1¶ Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,

2And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, [and] thou heardest my voice.

3For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.

4Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.

5The waters compassed me about, [even] to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.

6I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars [was] about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.

7When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

8They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

9But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay [that] that I have vowed. Salvation [is] of the LORD.

10¶ And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry [land].

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

From the fish's belly, Jonah prayed to the LORD, recounting his deep affliction and God's hearing of his cry from the "belly of hell." He acknowledged being cast into the deep by God, yet resolved to look toward God's holy temple, recognizing God's power to bring his life from corruption. Jonah vowed thanksgiving and declared, "Salvation is of the LORD." Consequently, the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Medium Summary

From the belly of the great fish, Jonah offered a prayer of distress and thanksgiving to the LORD. He described his desperate cry from the "belly of hell" and God's attentive ear to his voice, acknowledging that the LORD had cast him into the deep, where he was encompassed by floods and waves. Despite feeling utterly cast out of God's sight, he resolved to look again toward God's holy temple, even as the waters threatened his soul and weeds wrapped about his head. He recounted descending to the "bottoms of the mountains" and being held by the earth's bars, yet affirmed that the LORD had brought his life up from corruption. Remembering the LORD in his fainting soul, his prayer reached God's temple. He then vowed to offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and fulfill his promises, proclaiming that "Salvation is of the LORD." Consequently, the LORD commanded the fish, and it delivered Jonah safely onto dry land.

Long Summary

The second chapter of Jonah opens with the prophet's earnest prayer to the LORD his God, offered from the confines of the great fish's belly. Jonah recounted his profound affliction, describing how he cried out to the LORD from what he termed the "belly of hell," and how God had heard his voice. He explicitly acknowledged the LORD's direct agency in his predicament, stating, "thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas." He vividly described the overwhelming nature of his experience, with floods, billows, and waves passing over him, leading him to feel entirely "cast out of thy sight." Yet, even in this despair, a flicker of hope remained, as he declared his intention to "look again toward thy holy temple." Jonah further elaborated on the physical and spiritual extremity of his situation, with the waters encompassing his very soul, the depth closing around him, and weeds entangled about his head. He spoke of descending to the "bottoms of the mountains" and feeling perpetually confined by the "earth with her bars." Nevertheless, amidst this dire state, he affirmed God's miraculous intervention, stating, "yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God." He reflected that when his soul fainted within him, he remembered the LORD, and his prayer ascended to God's holy temple. Jonah then contrasted his experience with those who "observe lying vanities," suggesting they forsake divine mercy. He concluded his prayer with a solemn vow to sacrifice to the LORD with a voice of thanksgiving and to pay what he had promised. His prayer culminated in the powerful declaration, "Salvation is of the LORD." Following this profound prayer, the narrative swiftly concludes with the LORD speaking to the fish, which then obediently vomited Jonah out upon the dry land, signifying his miraculous deliverance.

Core Concepts

  • Prayer in DistressJonah's fervent prayer from the fish's belly demonstrates a cry for help and an expression of faith in extreme adversity. He recounts his affliction and God's hearing of his voice from the "belly of hell."
  • Divine SovereigntyThe chapter highlights God's ultimate control, as Jonah acknowledges, "thou hadst cast me into the deep," and later, the LORD commands the fish for his deliverance. God's will governs both judgment and salvation.
  • Hope in DespairDespite feeling "cast out of thy sight" and being surrounded by the depths, Jonah resolves to "look again toward thy holy temple." This illustrates a persistent hope in God's presence and mercy even in dire circumstances.
  • Deliverance from CorruptionJonah describes being brought up from the "bottoms of the mountains" and his life brought "from corruption," symbolizing a miraculous rescue from a death-like state. This underscores God's power over life and death.
  • Vows and ThanksgivingJonah promises to "sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving" and to "pay that that I have vowed." This indicates a commitment to worship and obedience in response to God's saving act.
  • Salvation of the LORDThe chapter culminates in Jonah's declaration, "Salvation is of the LORD," emphasizing that deliverance and rescue are solely from God's hand and not by human effort or merit.
  • The Temple as a Place of PrayerJonah repeatedly mentions looking towards and his prayer coming into God's "holy temple." This signifies the temple as a focal point for divine presence and a place where prayers are heard.