Jonah 1 · Verse 4

Jonah 1:4

But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
Jonah 1:4, King James Version

Jonah 1:4 in other translations

BSBThen the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship was in danger of breaking apart.
WEBBut the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty storm on the sea, so that the ship was likely to break up.
ASVBut Jehovah sent out a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
YLTAnd Jehovah hath cast a great wind on the sea, and there is a great tempest in the sea, and the ship hath reckoned to be broken;
DARBYBut Jehovah sent out a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest upon the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
BBEAnd the Lord sent out a great wind on to the sea and there was a violent storm in the sea, so that the ship seemed in danger of being broken.
WebsterBut the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was in danger of being broken.

What does Jonah 1:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. sent out--literally, caused a wind to burst forth. Coverdale translates, "hurled a greate wynde into the see."

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 A great wind - They were overtaken with a storm, which appears from the sequel to have come by the immediate direction of God. Like to be broken - They had nearly suffered shipwreck.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jonah 1:4-7
God sent a pursuer after Jonah, even a mighty tempest. Sin brings storms and tempests into the soul, into the family, into churches and nations; it is a disquieting, disturbing thing. Having called upon their gods for help, the sailors did what they could to help themselves. Oh that men would be thus wise for their souls, and would be willing to part with that wealth, pleasure, and honour, which they cannot keep without making shipwreck of faith and a good conscience, and ruining their souls for ever! Jonah was fast asleep. Sin is stupifying, and we are to take heed lest at any time our hearts are hardened by the deceitfulness of it. What do men mean by sleeping on in sin, when the word of God and the convictions of their own consciences, warn them to arise and call on the Lord, if they would escape everlasting misery? Should not we warn each other to awake, to arise, to call upon our God, if so be he will deliver us? The sailors concluded the storm was a messenger of Divine justice sent to some one in that ship. Whatever evil is upon us at any time, there is a cause for it; and each must pray, Lord, show me wherefore thou contendest with me. The lot fell upon Jonah. God has many ways of bringing to light hidden sins and sinners, and making manifest that folly which was thought to be hid from the eyes of all living.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Jonah 1:4 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.

וַֽיהוָ֗הva.Yah.wehand YahwehH3068
הֵטִ֤ילhe.Tilhe threwH2904
רֽוּחַ\־Ru.ach-a windH7307
גְּדוֹלָה֙ge.do.LahgreatH1419
אֶל\־'el-toH413
הַיָּ֔םhai.Yamthe seaH3220
וַיְהִ֥יvay.Hiand it wasH1961
סַֽעַר\־sa.'ar-a stormH5591
גָּד֖וֹלga.DolgreatH1419
בַּיָּ֑םbai.Yamon the seaH3220
וְהָ֣אֳנִיָּ֔הve.Ho.'o.ni.Yahand the shipH591
חִשְּׁבָ֖הchi.she.Vahit thoughtH2803
לְהִשָּׁבֵֽר\׃le.hi.sha.Verto be brokenH7665

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

Cross references for Jonah 1:4

  • Psalms 107:23-31

    They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. …

  • Matthew 8:24-27

    And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

  • Exodus 14:21

    And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

  • Psalms 135:7

    He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.

  • Amos 4:13

    For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The Lord, The God of hosts, is his name.

  • Exodus 10:19

    And the Lord turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.

  • Numbers 11:31

    And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.

  • Exodus 15:10

    Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.

  • Acts 27:13-20

    And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete. But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat: …

  • Exodus 10:13

    And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the Lord.
Ex 10:13,19; 14:21; 15:10; Nu 11:31; Ps 107:24-31; 135:7; Am 4:13
Mt 8:24-27; Ac 27:13-20
sent out. Heb. cast forth. like. Heb. thought.

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

Context

  • Jonah 1:3

    But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

  • Jonah 1:4

    But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

  • 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.

Read all of Jonah 1

Jonah 1:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Mas Jehová hizo levantar un gran viento en la mar, é hízose una tan gran tempestad en la mar, que pensóse se rompería la nave.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et l’ Éternel envoya un grand vent sur la mer; et il y eut une grande tempête sur la mer, de sorte que le navire semblait vouloir se briser.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Da warf Jehova einen heftigen Wind auf das Meer, und es entstand ein großer Sturm auf dem Meere, so daß das Schiff zu zerbrechen drohte.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Dominus autem misit ventum magnum in mare: et facta est tempestas magna in mari, et navis periclitabatur conteri.