1O SENHOR enviou uma mensagem a Jonas, filho de Amitai.2“Vai à grande cidade de Nínive e prega contra ela, porque a sua maldade subiu até a minha presença!”3Mas Jonas resolveu ausentar-se para longe do SENHOR. Desceu até à costa, até ao porto de Jope, onde achou um navio que partia para Társis. Comprou uma passagem, entrou no barco seguindo para Társis, fugindo assim do SENHOR.4Enquanto o barco navegava, o SENHOR fez levantar-se uma terrível ventania e desencadear-se uma tempestade tal que o navio estava a ponto de se despedaçar.5Temendo pelas suas vidas, os marinheiros desesperados gritavam cada um pelo seu deus e atiravam pela borda fora o carregamento, para tornar mais leve a embarcação. Enquanto isto se passava, Jonas dormia profundamente no porão do barco.6O capitão mandou chamá-lo: “O que é que se passa contigo? Estás a dormir numa situação destas? Clama também ao teu Deus, para ver se tem misericórdia de nós e nos salva!”7A tripulação resolveu tirar à sorte, a fim de verificarem quem é que, entre eles, ofendera os deuses e provocara tamanho temporal. E a sorte recaiu sobre Jonas.8“Que foi que fizeste”, perguntaram-lhe, “para que este furacão tremendo caísse sobre nós? Quem és tu? O que fazes? Donde é que vens? De que nacionalidade és?”9“Sou hebreu e temo o SENHOR, o Deus dos céus, que fez a terra e os mares.”10Depois contou-lhes que estava a fugir do SENHOR. Os homens ficaram aterrorizados: “Oh! E porque é que fizeste uma coisa destas?11O que é que havemos de te fazer para acabar com este temporal?” E o tempo piorava assustadoramente.12“Deitem-me ao mar e tudo ficará calmo outra vez. Porque sei que esta tempestade aconteceu por minha causa.”13Entretanto, os remadores tentavam em vão levar o barco para a costa; a tormenta era tal que se tornava impossível lutar contra ela.14Então clamaram ao SENHOR: “Ó SENHOR, não nos tires a nós a vida, por causa do pecado deste homem! Não nos tornes culpados de derramar sangue inocente. Afinal, SENHOR, tu procedeste o que te aprouve.”15Pegaram depois em Jonas, lançaram-no pela borda fora e tudo se acalmou!16Aquela gente temeu imenso o SENHOR; ofereceu-lhe sacrifícios e fez votos de o servir.17No entanto, o SENHOR preparou um grande peixe para que engolisse Jonas e este ficou vivo no interior do peixe três dias e três noites.
1Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, (2 Rs 14:25)2“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil[1] has come up before me.” (Gn 10:11; 2 Rs 19:36; Jn 3:3; Jn 4:11; Na 1:1; Sf 2:13; Mt 12:41; Lc 11:30; Lc 11:32; Ap 18:5)3But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord. (Gn 4:16; Js 19:46; 1 Rs 10:22; Sl 139:9; Jn 4:2)4But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. (1 Rs 22:48; Sl 48:7; Sl 107:25)5Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. (Sl 107:28; At 27:18; At 27:38)6So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.” (Jn 1:5; Jn 3:9)
Jonah Is Thrown into the Sea
7And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. (Jz 20:9)8Then they said to him, “Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?”9And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” (Sl 146:6; Ap 11:13)10Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. (Jn 1:3)11Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.12He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.” (Js 7:20)13Nevertheless, the men rowed hard[2] to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.14Therefore they called out to the Lord, “O Lord, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you.” (Dt 21:8; Sl 115:3)15So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. (Sl 65:7; Lc 8:24)16Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows. (Gn 8:20; Gn 31:54; Jn 2:9)
A Great Fish Swallows Jonah
17[3] And the Lord appointed[4] a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (Mt 12:40; Mt 16:4; Lc 11:30)