“1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai,
saying, 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for
their wickedness is come up before me. 3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto
Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he
found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went
down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the
LORD.”
“4 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a
mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. 5
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. 6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto
him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be
that God will think upon us, that we perish not. 7 And they said every
one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for
whose cause this evil [is] upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell
upon Jonah. 8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose
cause this evil [is] upon us; What [is] thine occupation? and whence
comest thou? what [is] thy country? and of what people [art] thou? 9 And
he said unto them, I [am] an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of
heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry [land]. 10 Then were the men
exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the
men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told
them.”
“11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea
may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous. 12 And he
said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the
sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest
[is] upon you. 13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring [it] to the
land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous
against them. 14 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. 15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the
sea: and the sea ceased from her raging. 16 Then the men feared the LORD
exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows. 17
Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah
was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” (Jonah 1:1-17
AV)