1Now the word of Yehovah came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness has come up before me. 3But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Yehovah; and he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid its fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of Yehovah. 4But Yehovah sent out a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken. 5Then the mariners were afraid, and cried each man to his god; and they cast out the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the innermost parts of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. 6So the shipmaster came to him, and said to him, What do you mean, O sleeper? arise, call upon your God, perhaps God will think upon us, that we may not perish. 7And they said each 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. 8Then they said to him, Tell us, please, for whose cause this evil is 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 Yehovah, the God of heaven, who has made the sea and the dry land. 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 Yehovah, because he had told them. 11Then they said to him, What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us? for the sea grew more and more tempestuous. 12And he said to them, Take me up, and cast me out into the sea; so the sea shall be calm to you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. 13Nevertheless the men rowed hard to get back to the land; but they could not: for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. 14Therefore they cried to Yehovah, and said, We beg you, O Yehovah, we beg you, let us not perish for this man’s life, and do not lay upon us innocent blood; for you, O Yehovah, have done as it pleased you. 15So they took up Jonah, and cast him out into the sea; and the sea ceased from its raging. 16Then the men feared Yehovah exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice to Yehovah, and made vows. 17And Yehovah prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.