Jonah 2 · Verse 3

Jonah 2:3

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.
Jonah 2:3, King James Version

Jonah 2:3 in other translations

BSBFor You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current swirled about me; all Your breakers and waves swept over me.
WEBFor you threw me into the depths, in the heart of the seas. The flood was all around me. All your waves and your billows passed over me.
ASVFor thou didst cast me into the depth, in the heart of the seas, And the flood was round about me; All thy waves and thy billows passed over me.
YLTWhen Thou dost cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, Then the flood doth compass me, All Thy breakers and Thy billows have passed over me.
DARBYFor thou didst cast me into the depth, into the heart of the seas, And the flood was round about me: All thy breakers and thy billows are gone over me.
BBEFor you have put me down into the deep, into the heart of the sea; and the river was round about me; all your waves and your rolling waters went over me.
WebsterFor thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods encompassed me: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.

What does Jonah 2:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. thou hadst cast ... thy billows ... thy waves--Jonah recognizes the source whence his sufferings came. It was no mere chance, but the hand of God which sent them. Compare Job's similar recognition of God's hand in calamities, Job 1:21; 2:10; and David's, 2Sa 16:5-11.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 All thy billows and thy waves passed over me - This may be understood literally; while the fish, in whose belly he was, sought its pleasure or sustenance in the paths of the deep, the waves and billows of the sea were rolling above. This line seems borrowed from Psa 42:7.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jonah 2:1-9

Observe when Jonah prayed. When he was in trouble, under the tokens of God's displeasure against him for sin: when we are in affliction we must pray. Being kept alive by miracle, he prayed. A sense of God's good-will to us, notwithstanding our offences, opens the lips in prayer, which were closed with the dread of wrath. Also, where he prayed; in the belly of the fish. No place is amiss for prayer. Men may shut us…

Read the full comment on Jonah 2:1-9 →

Jonah 2:3 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.

וַתַּשְׁלִיכֵ֤נִיva.tash.li.Khe.niand you have thrown meH7993
מְצוּלָה֙me.tzu.Lah[the] deepH4688
בִּלְבַ֣בbil.Vavin [the] heart ofH3824
יַמִּ֔יםya.Mim[the] seasH3220
וְנָהָ֖רve.na.Harand a riverH5104
יְסֹבְבֵ֑נִיye.soe.Ve.niit surrounds meH5437
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
מִשְׁבָּרֶ֥יךָmish.ba.Rei.khabreakers yourH4867
וְגַלֶּ֖יךָve.ga.Lei.khaand waves yourH1530
עָלַ֥י'a.Laiover meH5921
עָבָֽרוּ\׃'a.Va.ruthey have passedH5674

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

Cross references for Jonah 2:3

  • Psalms 42:7

    Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

  • Lamentations 3:54

    Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.

  • Psalms 69:1-2

    To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David. Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

  • Psalms 69:14-15

    Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

  • Psalms 88:5-8

    Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah. Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
thou.
1:12-16; Ps 69:1,2,14,15; 88:5-8; La 3:54
midst. Heb. heart. all.
Ps 42:7

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

Context

  • Jonah 2:2

    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.

  • Jonah 2:3

    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.

  • Jonah 2:4

    Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.

Read all of Jonah 2

Jonah 2:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y dijo: Clamé de mi tribulación á Jehová, y él me oyó; del vientre del sepulcro clamé, y mi voz oiste.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et il dit: J’ai crié à l’ Éternel du fond de ma détresse, et il m’a répondu. Du sein du shéol, j’ai crié; tu as entendu ma voix.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich rief aus meiner Bedrängnis zu Jehova, und er antwortete mir; ich schrie aus dem Schoße des Scheols, du hörtest meine Stimme.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et dixit: Clamavi de tribulatione mea ad Dominum, et exaudivit me; de ventre inferi clamavi, et exaudisti vocem meam.