For 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.
Parallel translations
- WEB For you threw me into the depths, in the heart of the seas. The flood was all around me. All your waves and your billows passed over me.
- BSB For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current swirled about me; all Your breakers and waves swept over me.
- NKJV For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.
- NASB “For You threw me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current flowed around me. All Your breakers and waves passed over me.
- NLT You threw me into the ocean depths, and I sank down to the heart of the sea. The mighty waters engulfed me; I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jonah recognizes that God Himself cast him into the deep waters. It matters because he sees God's sovereign hand even in his judgment, not merely the sailors' action.
Overview
Though the sailors threw him overboard, Jonah confesses, 'You threw me into the depths,' acknowledging God as the ultimate author of his ordeal. The overwhelming waves and billows picture both the literal sea and the weight of divine chastisement. Recognizing God's hand in his suffering is the beginning of Jonah's turning back, for he submits to the One who disciplines him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Ps 42:7Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
- Lam 3:54Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
- Ps 69:1–2Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
- Ps 69:14–15Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
- Ps 88:5–8Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.
- Jonah 1:12–16And 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.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Three days in the belly of the fish is the sign Jesus gave of his own death and resurrection (Matt 12:40); and God's mercy on pagan Nineveh foreshadows the gospel going to the nations.
How Jonah 2:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.