Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, THEN JONAH PRAYED UNTO THE LORD HIS GOD - his still, though Jonah had fled from Him. Faith enables Jonah now to feel this; just as the returning prodigal says of the father, from whom he had wandered, "I will arise and go to my fat... [ Continue Reading ]
And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. I CRIED BY REASON OF MINE AFFLICTION UNTO THE LORD, AND HE HEARD ME - "by reason of," rather 'out of affliction (which came) to me.' His prayer is partly de... [ Continue Reading ]
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. THOU HADST (DIDST) CAST ME INTO THE DEEP ... ALL THY BILLOWS AND THY WAVES PASSED OVER ME - "the deep," literally, the eddying deep. Jonah recognizes th... [ Continue Reading ]
Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. THEN I SAID, I AM CAST OUT OF THY SIGHT - i:e., from thy favourable regard. A just retribution on one who had fled "from the presence of the Lord" (Jonah 1:3). God's presence, which once he regarded as a burde... [ Continue Reading ]
The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. THE WATERS COMPASSED ME ABOUT, EVEN TO THE SOUL - i:e., threatening to extinguish the animal life. THE WEEDS WERE WRAPPED ABOUT MY HEAD - he felt as if the seaweeds through w... [ Continue Reading ]
I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. I WENT DOWN TO THE BOTTOMS OF THE MOUNTAINS - their extremities, where they terminate in the hidden depths of the sea. Compare , "the found... [ Continue Reading ]
When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. WHEN MY SOUL FAINTED WITHIN ME I REMEMBERED THE LORD - beautifully exemplifying the triumph of spirit over flesh, of faith over sense, (; , "O my God, my soul is cast down within me; th... [ Continue Reading ]
They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. THEY THAT OBSERVE LYING VANITIES - regard or reverence idols, powerless to save (). FORSAKE THEIR OWN MERCY - Yahweh, the very idea of whom is identified now in Jonah's mind with mercy and loving-kindness. As the Psalmist () calls Him, ... [ Continue Reading ]
But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD. I WILL SACRIFICE UNTO THEE WITH THE VOICE OF THANKSGIVING. In the believing anticipation of sure deliverance he offers thanksgivings already. So Jehoshaphat () appointed si... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land. AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO THE FISH, AND IT VOMITED OUT JONAH UPON THE DRY LAND - probably on the coast of Palestine. Remarks: (1) The time of Jonah's prayer was when the three days and nights were all but passed. Feeli... [ Continue Reading ]