Vocabulary: Jonah 2:1-2 Revised translation: Jonah 2:1-2

Transcription

1 Vocabulary: Jonah 2:1-2 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish, 2 and he said, "I called out of my distress to the LORD, And He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; Thou didst hear my voice. 1) Then Jonah prayed : wc, w, + the verb, llp, palal, then he prayed + the proper noun, hn"ay, Yonah, Jonah. 2) To the Lord : the prep., la, el, to + the proper noun, hwhy, YHWH. Translate to YHWH. 3) From the stomach of the fish : the prep,!m, min, from + the noun, h[,m, meeh, stomach + the noun w/d.a., hg"d, dagah, the fish. 4) I called out : the verb, arq, qara, I called out. 5) Distress : the noun, hr'c', tsarah, distress, need, anxiety. 6) The Lord : the proper noun, hwhy, YHWH. Translate YHWH. 7) He answered me : the verb, hn[, anah, He answered me. 8) I cried for help : the verb, [wv, shava, I cried for help. 9) The depth of Sheol : the noun,!j,b,, beten, depth, belly + the noun, laav., sheol, Sheol. 10) Thou didst hear : the verb, [mv, shama, You heard. Translate you heard. Revised translation: Jonah 2:1-2 Then Jonah prayed to YHWH his God from the stomach of the fish, 2 and he said, "I called out of my distress to YHWH, And He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice. 1

2 Jonah 2:1-2 Then Jonah prayed to YHWH his God from the stomach of the fish, 2 and he said, "I called out of my distress to YHWH, And He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice. Analysis of vv. 1-2: 1) The bulk of chapter 2 is a prayer of thanksgiving. 2) The prayer is a poetic composition which extends from vv ) Vv. 1 and 10 are a part of the prose narrative as is the majority of the book. 4) The poetry sets the prayer apart from the surrounding context. 5) Throughout the prose narrative, the book of Jonah is in the 3 rd person. However the prayer in vv. 2-9 is from the perspective of the 1 st person. 6) It is not uncommon for O.T. narratives to incorporate poetry in this manner (cf. Ex. 15:1ff., Dan. 2:19-23). 7) In v. 1, Jonah appropriately directs his prayer to God the Father ( YHWH, cf. Num. 11:2). 8) YHWH is described as his God which indicates a close relationship even though the prophet had been in rebellion. 9) Despite the prophet s recent abysmal performance, his faith in God was unshaken. 10) The prayer itself demonstrates a change in Jonah s thinking. This is not surprising due to his extraordinary experiences and deliverance. 11) The stomach of the great fish was certainly a unique venue for his prayer. 12) Evidently any place may serve as a place for prayer. 13) Miraculously Jonah was preserved alive by God during this ordeal. 14) The supernatural preservation of Jonah presented no difficulty for the sovereign God of all creation (cf. Jer 32:17). 15) As the passage demonstrates, not only was he alive, but he was coherent enough to render thanksgiving. 16) The verb prayed (llp, palal) refers to an urgent petition to God (use of Hithpael, cf. 2 Kings 4:33; 6:17-18, 2 Chron. 33:13, Isa. 38:2). 17) In v. 2, the first element in Jonah s prayer is the fact that his petition was answered. 18) Following poetic conventions in Hebrew poetry, v. 2 is an example of synonymous parallelism. a) Parallelism is a noteworthy characteristic in Hebrew poetry. b) Parallelism is the practice of balancing one thought or phrase by a corresponding thought or phrase containing approximately the same number of words, or at least a correspondence in ideas. 1 1 Gleason L. Archer, A Survey of Old Testament Introduction, in Introduction to Hebrew Poetry. Updated and Revised ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1994),

3 c) In synonymous parallelism the phrases essentially express a common idea but in a different way (e.g. Psa 18:49; 26:2). 19) I called out of my distress to YHWH and I cried for help from the depth of Sheol express the same basic idea. a) Both sentences refer to Jonah s desperate prayer to God in this serious, life threatening predicament (e.g. Psa. 18:5-6, Sheol: Psa. 30:3). b) Jonah recognized that his deliverance could only come from his God. c) Whether or not Jonah was distressed on the ship is problematic. Our account doesn t give an indication. d) Now there is no doubt. The prophet is stressed out! e) Our term distress (hr'c', tsarah) indicates a high level of anxiety which, in our context, is brought on by the prophet s expectation of death by drowning (cf. Gen. 42:21; Prov. 1:27). f) The prophet didn t literally go to Sheol as he remained alive and in the depths of the sea (dead: Job 7:9, Prov. 7:27, cf. Luke 16:22; alive but in the earth: Num. 16:33). g) However, Jonah figured that, barring God s intervention, he was going to die. 20) In the parallelism of our verse, He answered me and You heard my voice also express the same idea. a) This does not refer to an auditory experience (e.g. God spoke to Jonah). b) Rather, it depicts the fact that God mercifully delivered him following his urgent petition. 21) V. 2 is reminiscent of other passages in Scripture where God rescues the believer from various distresses following a desperate prayer (Psa. 18:6; 22:24; 34:17, 118:5; 120:1). 22) As believers we must have confidence in God to deliver us from desperate circumstances (Psa. 37:39; 46:1; 116:1ff., Prov. 11:8, Nahum 1:7). 3

4 Vocabulary: Jonah 2:3-4 "For Thou hadst cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current engulfed me. All Thy breakers and billows passed over me. 4 "So I said, 'I have been expelled from Thy sight. Nevertheless I will look again toward Thy holy temple.' 1) Thou hadst cast me into the deep : the verb, $lv, shalak, You cast + fsn, hl'acm., metsolah, deep. Translate You caused to cast me into the deep. 2) Into the heart of the seas : prep,.b, + noun, bb'le, lebab. into the heart of + noun, ~y", yam, seas. 3) The current engulfed me : the noun, rh'n", nahar, stream, current + the verb, bbs, sabab, engulfed me. 4) All Thy breakers : the noun, lk, kol, all + the noun w/2ms suff, rb'v.mi, mishbar, breakers. Translate all Your breakers. 5) Billows : the noun w/2ms suff, lg:, gal, waves. Translate Your waves. 6) Passed over me : the prep w/1cs suff, l[, al, + the verb, rb[, abar, passed over me. 7) I have been expelled : the verb, vrg, garish, I have been driven out, expelled. 8) Thy sight : prep, dg<n<, nagad, before + the dual noun w/2ms suff,!yi[;, ayin, eyes. Translate before Your eyes 9) I will look again : the yasaph, I will again + prep, l, + infinitive, jbn, nabat, to look. 10) Thy holy temple : the noun, lk'yhe, hekal, temple + the noun w/2ms suff, vd,q, kodesh, holy. Translate Your holy temple. Revised translation: Jonah 2:3-4 "For You caused to cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current engulfed me. All Your breakers and Your waves passed over me. 4 "So I said, 'I have been expelled from before Your eyes. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.' 1

5 Jonah 2:3-4 "For You caused to cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current engulfed me. All Your breakers and Your waves passed over me. 4 "So I said, 'I have been expelled from before Your eyes. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.' Analysis of vv. 3-4: 1) V. 3 begins a description of his past distress after he was thrown overboard. 2) In addition to a sequence of events, we will also see a sequence of Jonah s thought process. 3) Jonah depicts God as the One who cast him into the sea. Specifically into a deep portion (hl'acm., metsolah, cf. Ex. 15:5). 4) The deep is further defined by the heart of the seas as the deepest point in the sea (cf. sing.: Ex. 15:8, pl: Psa. 46:2). 5) The ocean current engulfed Jonah and forced the prophet under the surface. 6) In essence he was surrounded or enveloped by the current. There was no possibility of staying afloat. 7) Breakers (i.e. broken waves, white water) and waves passed over Jonah as he was forced under the surface by the strong current. 8) In our verse, unlike other poetic passages, breakers and waves do not figuratively depict trouble or distress. This was a literal experience for Jonah (fig. use: Psa. 42:7; 88:6-7). 9) The statement, I have been expelled from before Your eyes in v. 4 indicates Jonah presumed that he had been rejected by God. a) Initially, Jonah chose to flee from the presence of God (Jonah 1:3). b) Now he laments his circumstances. c) Contrary to fact, the prophet thought this was the end of his life. d) The phrase, from before Your eyes is metaphorical and expresses the separation of death. 10) A believer will not literally be separated from God at death (cf. 1 Thess. 4:17). 11) Instead, our verse is emphasizing the finality of death. Once a believer dies, he will not have another opportunity to make any corrections to his ph. 2 (cf. Psa. 88:10-12). 12) Yet in spite of lamenting his situation, Jonah anticipates looking at the temple in Jerusalem ( Your holy temple, Psa. 68:29; 79:1). 13) The term look is to literally look at something with the eyes. 2

6 Vocabulary: Jonah 2:5 "Water encompassed me to the point of death. The great deep engulfed me, Weeds were wrapped around my head. 1) Water encompassed me : the aphaph, it encompassed me + the noun, ~yim;, mayim, waters. 2) To the point of death : the prep., d[;, ad, as far as, even to, to the point of + the noun, vp,n<, nephesh, soul, life. Literally up to life or even to the soul. 3) Great deep : the noun, ~AhT., tehom, deep. Translate the deep. 4) Weeds : the suph, reeds, water plants, weeds. 5) Were wrapped : the participle, vbx, chabash, were wrapped around. 6) My head: the noun w/1cs suff, varo, rosh, to my head. Revised translation: Jonah 2:5 "Water encompassed me to the point of death. The deep engulfed me, Weeds were wrapped around my head. 1

7 Jonah 2:5 "Water encompassed me to the point of death. The deep engulfed me, Weeds were wrapped around my head. Analysis of v. 5: 1) Our verse depicts the sensation of being trapped under water, unable to breath, and close to drowning. 2) As Jonah is sinking further into the depths, the waters of the sea have encompassed him. Other psalms have similar imagery (Psa. 18:5; 116:3). 3) Once he was thrown overboard, the text doesn t indicate how long Jonah was submerged until the great fish swallowed him. 4) The phrase, to the point of death (lit: even to the soul) indicates Jonah believed he was on the verge of drowning (cf. fig. use: Psa. 69:1). 5) The deep is seen as engulfing the prophet which further emphasizes his seemingly hopeless circumstances. 6) To make matters worse, as he descended, sea weed became wrapped around his head. 7) Undoubtedly it was an unwanted development that added to his anxiety. 2

8 Vocabulary: Jonah 2:6 "I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, But Thou hast brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God. 1) The roots of the mountains : the prep, l, + noun, bc,q,, qetseb, to the extremities [cut, shape] of + noun, rh;, har, [the] mountains. Translate to the extremities of the mountains. 2) Bars : the noun w/3fs suff., x;yrib., beriach, its bars. 3) Around me : the prep w/1cs suff, d[;b;, baad, behind me. Translate behind me. 4) Thou hast brought up : the verb, hl[, alah, You caused to bring up. Translate You caused to bring up. 5) The pit : the noun, tx;v;, shachath, pit. 6) O LORD my God : the proper noun, hwhy, YHWH, + the noun w/1ms suff, ~yhil{a/, Elohim, my God. Translate YHWH my God. Revised translation: Jonah 2:6 "I descended to the extremities of the mountains. The earth with its bars was behind me forever, But You caused to bring up my life from the pit, YHWH my God. 1

9 Jonah 2:6 "I descended to the extremities of the mountains. The earth with its bars was behind me forever, But You caused to bring up my life from the pit, YHWH my God. Analysis of v. 6: 1) Jonah s descent from the surface ended on the bottom of the sea. Here, expressed as the extremities of the mountains. 2) It is evident from the context that Jonah was hurled into a very deep portion of the sea some distance away from land (Jonah 1:13 However, the men rowed desperately to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming even stormier against them., Jonah 2:3 "For You caused to cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current engulfed me. All Your breakers and Your waves passed over me.). 3) The prophet is referring to the base of seamounts or undersea canyons which are abundant in the Mediterranean Sea (e.g. the Hellenic Trench off the coast of Greece, Erastosthenes Seamount south of Cyprus, the Nile fan, etc.). 4) The phrase the earth with its bars was behind me forever figuratively depicts Jonah being imprisoned in the depths. 5) Our verse vividly details Jonah s thinking at the bottom of the sea. 6) Forever indicates that the prophet expected to die and never walk the earth again. 7) Even so the Jonah was alive even after descending to a great depth! 8) Physiologically he was unharmed (e.g. no ruptured ear drums, blackouts, etc.). 9) Once again we a Divine act beyond human explanation. 10) Clearly God sustained his life and protected him during his free dive. 11) Jonah addresses God directly, You caused to bring up my life from the pit. 12) The prophet definitely recognizes God s protection and deliverance from the depths of the sea. 13) Our term pit (tx;v;, shachath) signifies the grave or realm of the dead. It is not to be understood as a literal pit in the depths of the ocean (Psa. 30:9, 55:23, Isa. 33:18, Ezek. 28:8). 14) This figuratively describes his rescue by God from certain death via the great fish (cf. pit : Job. 33:18, 22, 24, 28, 30; Psa. 103:4). 15) Associated with image of death, the pit also depicts destruction and decay (Psa. 16:10, 49:9). 16) YHWH my God is an exclamation of devotion (cf. 1 Kings 3:7, Psa. 40:5, 104:1). 17) The wayward prophet is the recipient of God s incredible mercy. 18) Prior to being thrown overboard, the rebellious Jonah hardly acted in a manner that would warrant leniency or mercy. 19) Even so God mercifully spared him from death. 2

10 20) Beyond our context with Jonah, God routinely exhibits compassion and mercy (Psa. 103:13, 116:15, Prov. 28:13, 2 Cor. 1:3, Eph. 2:4). a) The plan of salvation, which is available to all mankind, provides evidence of his great love and mercy (Titus 3:4-5, 1 Peter 1:3). b) His great mercy is even extended to those who are great sinners (1 Tim. 1:12-16). 21) As God is merciful to believers, believers ought to be merciful to others (Matt. 5:7, Jude 1:22-23 cf. James 2:13). 3

11 Vocabulary: Jonah 2:7 "While I was fainting away, I remembered the LORD; And my prayer came to Thee, Into Thy holy temple. 1) I was fainting away : the prep., B, + the ataph, feeling of weakness + the prep. w/1cs suff., l[, al, (was) upon me + the noun w/1cs suff., vp,n<, nephesh, my soul. Translate while a feeling of weakness was upon my soul. 2) I remembered the Lord : m.d.o., tae, + the proper noun, hwhy, YHWH + the verb, rkz, zakar, I remembered. Translate I remembered YHWH. 3) My prayer : the noun w/1cs suff., hl'pit., tephillah, my prayer. 4) To Thee : the prep. w/2ms suff, la, el, to You. Translate to You. 5) Thy holy temple : the noun, lk'yhe, hekal, temple + the noun w/2ms suff, vd,qo, qodesh, Your holy. Translate Your holy temple. Revised translation: Jonah 2:7 "While a feeling of weakness was upon my soul, I remembered YHWH; And my prayer came to You, Into Your holy temple. 1

12 Jonah 2:7 "While a feeling of weakness was upon my soul, I remembered YHWH; And my prayer came to You, Into Your holy temple. Analysis of v. 7: 1) In v. 7 Jonah believes that he is on the verge of drowning. 2) The feeling of weakness that came upon his soul refers to his deteriorating physical condition. 3) Although he was rescued, the experience is taking a physical toll on the prophet. 4) In the midst of his ordeal, Jonah remembered YHWH. 5) The Hebrew word order is not reflected in the translation. a) YHWH precedes I remembered (lit: YHWH I remembered ). b) The word order places emphasis on the object of Jonah s remembrance, God. 6) The prophet is now directing thoughts to God and His plan (Psa. 63:6, 119:52, 55). 7) Additionally, he states, my prayer came to You, Into Your holy temple. a) Unlike v. 4, the holy temple is not a reference to the temple in Jerusalem. b) Rather, his prayer was received by God in the 3 rd heaven (2 Chron. 6:34-35, 30:27, Psa. 11:4). 8) A very wise move on Jonah s part. He recognized that God is his only hope for deliverance. 9) The wise believer will consistently direct His thoughts to God and pray especially in times of trouble and pressure (Psa. 42:6, 107:6 cf. 2 Cor. 1:9-10, 2 Tim. 4:17-18, 1 Peter 5:7). 10) Do not marginalize God and your prayer life by only praying to Him when your life is in a state of upheaval. 11) Our prayer life, as believers, should encompass the various activities that we are involved with throughout the day (Psa. 5:3). 12) Whether our niche is tumultuous or calm, we must be consistent in the various facets of prayer (e.g. thanksgiving, intercession, etc., Col. 4:2, 1 Thess. 5:17). 2

13 Vocabulary: Jonah 2:8-9 "Those who regard vain idols Forsake their faithfulness, 9 But I will sacrifice to Thee With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the LORD." 1) Those who regard vain idols : the participle, rmv, shamar, Those who are followers of (adherents of) + the noun, lb,h,, hebel, vapor, breath, idols + msn, aw>v, shav, worthless. Translate those who are followers of worthless idols. 2) Forsake their faithfulness : the noun w/3mp suff., ds,x, chesed, + the verb, bz[, azab, forsake their faithfulness. 3) I will sacrifice : the pronoun, ynia], ani, I + the verb, xbz, zebach, I will sacrifice. Translate I, myself will sacrifice. 4) To Thee : the prep. w/suff, L, to You. Translate to You. 5) Voice of thanksgiving : the noun, laq, kol, + the noun, hd'at, todah, a voice of thanksgiving. 6) Which I have vowed : the rel. pron., rv,a, asher, + the verb, rdn, nadir, which I have vowed. 7) I will pay : the verb, ~lv, shalem, I will pay. 8) Salvation is from the Lord : the noun w/directive h, h['wvy>, yeshua, deliverance + the prep., l, + the proper noun, hwhy, from YHWH. Translate deliverance is from YHWH. Revised translation: Jonah 2:8-9 "Those who are followers of worthless idols Forsake their faithfulness, 9 But I myself will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Deliverance is from YHWH." 1

14 Jonah 2:8-9 "Those who are followers of worthless idols Forsake their faithfulness, 9 But I myself will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Deliverance is from YHWH." Analysis of vv. 8-9: 1) In v. 8, Jonah denounces those who are followers worthless idols instead of God. 2) The prophet s sentiments are similar to those expressed by David (Psa. 31:6). 3) Followers (rmv, shamar) are individuals who are devoted to or worship various idols or deities (e.g. the sailors in Jonah 1 and the Ninevites). a) Of course to engage in idolatry on any level violates God s directive will (Lev. 19:4, 26:1, Col. 3:5, cf. Gal. 5:20). b) At various times throughout history, Israel was heavily engaged in idolatry (1 Kings 16:13, 26, 2 Kings 17:7-17). c) As a result, God was provoked and judged them severely for this activity (2 Chron. 7:19-22). 4) The term idols (lb,h,, hebel) literally refers to a vapor or breath. In other words, that which is unsubstantial and, in reality, doesn t exist (i.e. a delusion, Jer. 10:3, 1 Cor. 8:4, Rev. 9:20). 5) Jonah describes the idols as worthless (aw>v, shav). a) In relation to our verse, the term figuratively refers to the powerlessness of an idol to benefit those who worship it (cf. Jer. 10:4-15, 14:22). b) Worthless (aw>v, shav) also carries a nuance of deceit. The term appropriately implies the deceitful nature of idolatry and the self-deception of idolaters (Zech. 10:2). 6) Idolaters forsake their faithfulness to God. a) Idolaters are depicted here as unfaithful because of they have abandoned their relationship with God in favor of idols (cf. Prov. 2:17, Jer. 16:11). b) It is a supreme act of disloyalty to God if we place other things ahead of our relationship with Him. 7) In contrast, God is abounding in faithfulness (ds,x, chesed) and will not forsake those who seek Him (nuance of loyalty, often translated lovingkindness, Ex. 34:6, Joel 2:13, also Micah 7:18, 20 cf. Psa. 9:10). a) Faithfulness or loyalty to God is manifested through learning and obedience to His directives (Ex. 20:6, Psa. 48:9). b) God takes pleasure in those who depend on his faithfulness (Psa. 147:11 cf. Psa. 33:18). c) The adversary of the faithful believer will be judged (Psa. 36:7-10, 94:1ff, 109:26-29 cf. Psa. 32:10). 8) In our context, Jonah is the grateful recipient of God s faithfulness. 2

15 9) He emphatically declares that he will offer a sacrifice to God with a voice of thanksgiving. ( I, myself will sacrifice ) 10) Contingent upon his safe return to dry land, he would offer a sacrifice in the holy temple in Jerusalem. 11) The sacrifice would likely include a sin, guilt and thanksgiving offering (Lev. 4:1ff, 5:6, 7:12-15, 22:29, Psa. 50:23). 12) Thanksgiving and praise would be the natural response after such a miraculous deliverance (Psa. 69:30, 107:21-31). 13) That which I have vowed I will pay is a solemn promise from by the prophet (cf. Psa. 50:14, 56:12). 14) Jonah recognizes and affirms that his deliverance is solely due to the power of God (Psa. 3:8, 28:8). 15) As in the case of Jonah and all believers, He chooses the method and time of deliverance form trouble (Ex. 14:13, 2 Chron. 20:17, Dan. 3:15ff, 6:16ff.). 3

16 Vocabulary: Jonah 2:10 Then the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land. 1) The Lord commanded : the verb, rma, amar, + the proper noun, hwhy, YHWH. Translate YHWH commanded. 2) Fish : the noun w/d.a., gd', dag, the fish. 3) Vomited : the verb, ayq, qi, it vomited. 4) Dry land : the noun w/d.a., hv'b'y:, yabbashah, the dry land. Revised translation: Jonah 2:10 Then YHWH commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land. 1

17 Jonah 2:10 Then YHWH commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land. Analysis of v. 10: 1) The prophet s prayer of thanksgiving concludes in v. 9 and the prose part of the account resumes in v ) V. 10 indicates that God commanded the fish to vomit Jonah. 3) The great fish that He appointed to swallow Jonah is now compelled to disgorge the prophet (cf. Jonah 1:17 And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.). 4) The text further demonstrates that God is fully in control of His creation. Specifically lower creation. 5) Jonah is suddenly and unceremoniously vomited onto the dry land. 6) The exact location is not specified, but it is probable that this occurred back in the locale of Joppa. 7) This would place Jonah back at the scene of his crime. 8) He had been miraculously and mercifully preserved alive and rescued from the pit. 9) We must not presume that Jonah is off the hook. On the contrary, despite glaring failures, God has further plans for the prophet. 10) In the near future, he would have another opportunity to complete his original mission to Nineveh. 11) In the meantime, Jonah is now able to travel to Jerusalem and offer the appropriate sacrifices he had vowed to pay (Jonah 2:9 But I will sacrifice to Thee With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the LORD."). 2