Jonah 1 · Verse 14

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.
Jonah 1:14, King James Version

Jonah 1:14 in other translations

BSBSo they cried out to the LORD: “Please, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life! Do not charge us with innocent blood! For You, O LORD, have done as You pleased.”
WEBTherefore they cried to the LORD, and said, “We beg you, LORD, we beg you, don’t let us die for this man’s life, and don’t lay on us innocent blood; for you, LORD, have done as it pleased you.”
ASVWherefore they cried unto Jehovah, and said, We beseech thee, O Jehovah, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood; for thou, O Jehovah, hast done as it pleased thee.
YLTAnd they cry unto Jehovah, and say, ‘We pray Thee, O Jehovah, let us not, we pray Thee, perish for this man's life, and do not lay on us innocent blood, for Thou, Jehovah, as Thou hast pleased, Thou hast done.'
DARBYAnd they cried unto Jehovah and said, Ah, Jehovah, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, Jehovah, hast done as it pleased thee.
BBESo, crying to the Lord, they said, Give ear to our prayer, O Lord, give ear, and do not let destruction overtake us because of this man's life; do not put on us the sin of taking life without cause: for you, O Lord, have done what seemed good to you.
WebsterWherefore they cried to 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.

What does Jonah 1:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. for this man's life--that is, for taking this man's life. innocent blood--Do not punish us as Thou wouldst punish the shedders of innocent blood (compare De 21:8). In the case of the Antitype, Pontius Pilate washed his hands and confessed Christ's innocence, "I am innocent of the blood of this just person." But whereas Jonah the victim was guilty and the sailors innocent, Christ our sacrificial victim was innocent and Pontius Pilate and nil of us men were guilty. But by imputation of our guilt to Him and His righteousness to us, the spotless Antitype exactly corresponds to the guilty type. thou ... Lord, hast done as it pleased thee--That Jonah has embarked in this ship, that a tempest has arisen, that he has been detected by casting of lots, that he has passed sentence on himself, is all Thy doing. We reluctantly put him to death, but it is Thy pleasure it should be so.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 They cried unto the Lord - Under a conviction that he was the self-existing Being, the Maker of the heavens and the earth, and the author of the present storm, they put up their prayers to him. Let us not perish for this man's life - They were now about to cast him overboard; but seemed to call God to witness that it was with the utmost reluctance, and only in obedience to his command. There is a parallel passage in the Argonautics, which has been quoted to illustrate this: - Πολλα δε μερμηριζον ενι φρεσι πευκαλιμησι, Η μεν αποφθισωσι, και ιχθυσι κυρμα βαλωσιν Αινολεχη Μμηδειαν, αποτρεψωσι δ' Εριννυν. Ver. 1171. "And much they doubted, in their prudent minds, Whether to kill and cast a prey to fishes Wretched Medea, and avert their fate." See Newcome.

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…

Read the full comment on Jonah 1:13-17 →

Jonah 1:14 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.

וַיִּקְרְא֨וּvai.yik.re.'Uand they called outH7121
אֶל\־'el-toH413
יְהוָ֜הYah.wehYahwehH3068
וַיֹּאמְר֗וּvai.yo.me.Ruand they saidH559
אָנָּ֤ה'a.Nahwe beg youH577
יְהוָה֙Yah.wehO YahwehH3068
אַל\־'al-do notH408
נָ֣אna'pleaseH4994
נֹאבְדָ֗הnov.Dahlet us perishH6
בְּנֶ֙פֶשׁ֙be.Ne.feshby [the] life ofH5315
הָאִ֣ישׁha.'Ishthe manH376
הַזֶּ֔הha.Zeh<the> thisH2088
וְאַל\־ve.'al-and may notH408
תִּתֵּ֥ןti.Tenyou putH5414
עָלֵ֖ינוּ'a.Lei.nuon usH5921
דָּ֣םdambloodH1818
נָקִ֑יאna.Ki'innocentH5355
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
אַתָּ֣ה'a.TahyouH859
יְהוָ֔הYah.wehO YahwehH3068
כַּאֲשֶׁ֥רka.'a.Sherjust asH834
חָפַ֖צְתָּcha.Fatz.tayou pleasedH2654
עָשִֽׂיתָ\׃'a.Si.tayou have doneH6213

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

Cross references for Jonah 1:14

  • Psalms 115:3

    But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

  • Psalms 135:6

    Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

  • Deuteronomy 21:8

    Be merciful, O Lord, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel’s charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.

  • Ephesians 1:11

    In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

  • Psalms 107:28

    Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

  • Matthew 11:26

    Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.

  • Jonah 1:5

    Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

  • Jonah 1:16

    Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows.

  • Daniel 4:34-35

    And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

  • Genesis 9:6

    Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

  • Ephesians 1:9

    Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

  • Acts 28:4

    And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
they.
5,16; Ps 107:28; Isa 26:16
let.
Ge 9:6; De 21:8; Ac 28:4
for.
Ps 115:3; 135:6; Da 4:34,35; Mt 11:26; Eph 1:9,11

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Jonah 1:15

    So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

Read all of Jonah 1

Jonah 1:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces clamaron á Jehová, y dijeron: Rogámoste ahora, Jehová, que no perezcamos nosotros por la vida de aqueste hombre, ni pongas sobre nosotros la sangre inocente: porque tú, Jehová, has hecho como has querido.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils crièrent à l’ Éternel, et dirent: Ah, Éternel! que nous ne périssions pas, nous t’en prions, à cause de la vie de cet homme; et ne mets pas sur nous du sang innocent; car toi, Éternel, tu as fait comme il t’a plu.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da riefen sie zu Jehova und sprachen: Ach, Jehova! laß uns doch nicht umkommen um der Seele dieses Mannes willen, und lege nicht unschuldiges Blut auf uns; denn du, Jehova, hast getan, wie es dir gefallen hat.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et clamaverunt ad Dominum, et dixerunt: Quæsumus, Domine, ne pereamus in anima viri istius, et ne des super nos sanguinem innocentem: quia tu, Domine, sicut voluisti, fecisti.