Jonah 1 · Verse 13

Jonah 1:13

Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.
Jonah 1:13, King James Version

Jonah 1:13 in other translations

BSBNevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea was raging against them more and more.
WEBNevertheless the men rowed hard to get them back to the land; but they could not, for the sea grew more and more stormy against them.
ASVNevertheless the men rowed hard to get them back to the land; but they could not: for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.
YLTAnd the men row to turn back unto the dry land, and are not able, for the sea is more and more tempestuous against them.
DARBYBut the men rowed hard to regain the land; but they could not; for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.
BBEAnd the men were working hard to get back to the land, but they were not able to do so: for the sea got rougher and rougher against them.
WebsterNevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.

What does Jonah 1:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. they could not--(Pr 21:30). Wind and tide--God's displeasure and God's counsel--were against them.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 The men rowed hard - Were very unwilling to proceed to this extremity, and thought they would risk every thing rather than cast this disobedient prophet into the great deep.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jonah 1:13-17
The mariners rowed against wind and tide, the wind of God's displeasure, the tide of his counsel; but it is in vain to think of saving ourselves any other way than by destroying our sins. Even natural conscience cannot but dread blood-guiltiness. And when we are led by Providence God does what he pleases, and we ought to be satisfied, though it may not please us. Throwing Jonah into the sea put an end to the storm. God will not afflict for ever, He will only contend till we submit and turn from our sins. Surely these heathen mariners will rise up in judgment against many called Christians, who neither offer prayers when in distress, nor thanksgiving for signal deliverances. The Lord commands all creatures, and can make any of them serve his designs of mercy to his people. Let us see this salvation of the Lord, and admire his power, that he could thus save a drowning man, and his pity, that he would thus save one who was running from him, and had offended him. It was of the Lord's mercies that Jonah was not consumed. Jonah was alive in the fish three days and nights: to nature this was impossible, but to the God of nature all things are possible. Jonah, by this miraculous preservation, was made a type of Christ; as our blessed Lord himself declared, Mt 12:40.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Jonah 1:13 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיַּחְתְּר֣וּvai.yach.te.Ruand they rowedH2864
הָאֲנָשִׁ֗יםha.'a.na.Shimthe menH582
לְהָשִׁ֛יבle.ha.Shivto returnH7725
אֶל\־'el-toH413
הַיַּבָּשָׁ֖הhai.ya.ba.Shahthe dry landH3004
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808
יָכֹ֑לוּya.Kho.luthey were ableH3201
כִּ֣יkiforH3588
הַיָּ֔םhai.Yamthe seaH3220
הוֹלֵ֥ךְho.Lekh[was] goingH1980
וְסֹעֵ֖רve.so.'Erand stormingH5590
עֲלֵיהֶֽם\׃'a.lei.Hemon themH5921

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jonah 1:13

  • Proverbs 21:30

    There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.

  • Job 34:29

    When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Nevertheless the.There was great humanity and tender feeling in these men. They were probably affected deeply with the candid confession, the disinterested, submissive conduct of the disobedient prophet, and were unwilling to cast him into the deep, until they found that every effort to save themselves was in vain.
rowed. Heb. digged. but.
Job 34:29; Pr 21:30

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Jonah 1:12

    And 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.

  • Jonah 1:13

    Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.

  • Jonah 1:14

    Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee.

Read all of Jonah 1

Jonah 1:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y aquellos hombres trabajaron por tornar la nave á tierra; mas no pudieron, porque la mar iba á más, y se embravecía sobre ellos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais les hommes ramèrent pour regagner la terre; et ils ne purent pas, car la mer allait toujours grossissant contre eux.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Männer ruderten hart um das Schiff ans Land zurückzuführen; aber sie vermochten es nicht, weil das Meer immer stürmischer gegen sie wurde.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et remigabant viri ut reverterentur ad aridam, et non valebant, quia mare ibat, et intumescebat super eos.