Jonah 1:5

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.

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.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: The sailors were afraid, and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down to the lowest part of the vessel, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.
KJV: 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.
WEB: Then the mariners were afraid, and every man cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone down into the innermost parts of the ship and he was laying down, and was fast asleep.
ASV: Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god; and they cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it unto them. But Jonah was gone down into the innermost parts of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
DARBY: And the mariners were afraid, and cried every one unto his god; and they cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to be lightened of them. But Jonah had gone down into the lower part of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
BLB: And the sailors were afraid, and each man cried out to his god. And they threw the articles that [were] in the ship into the sea to lighten it from them. And Jonah had gone down into the recesses of the ship, and he had lain down and was deeply asleep.

ÅB: Da ble skipsfolkene redde og ropte hver til sin gud, og de kastet de ting som var i skipet, ut i havet for å lette skipet. Men Jonas var steget ned i skipets nederste rom og lå i fast søvn.
OTB: Sjømennene ble redde og ropte hver til sin egen gud. De kastet lasten i havet for å lette skipet. I mellomtiden hadde Jona gått ned i skipets akter, hvor han la seg ned og falt i dyp søvn.
B1930: Da blev skibsfolkene redde og ropte hver til sin gud, og de kastet de ting som var i skibet, ut i havet for å lette skibet. Men Jonas var steget ned i skibets nederste rum og lå i fast søvn.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Jeremiah 2:28
But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.
Read in context
Acts 27:18–19
And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
Read in context
1 Kings 18:26
And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
Read in context
Judges 16:19
And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
Read in context
Luke 22:45–46
And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,
Read in context
Isaiah 45:20
Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.
Read in context
Jonah 1:6
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.
Read in context
Matthew 26:43
And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
Read in context