Jonah 2
What Happens in This Chapter
Jonah prays to God from inside the fish. He tells how the deep water pulled him down and how he thought he was cut off from God. He says he remembered God, and God lifted his life up from the pit. He promises to give thanks and keep his promise, and then the fish puts him on dry land.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly,
1Jonah was inside the fish. There he prayed to the LORD his God.
2And 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.
2He said, "I was in deep trouble. I called out to the LORD. And he answered me. From the place of the dead I called for help. You heard my voice."
The KJV says "the belly of hell." The old word here means the place where dead people go, not a place of fire. Jonah means he felt as good as dead.
3For 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.
3"You threw me into the deep sea. I sank down into the middle of the water. The current spun all around me. All your big waves rolled over me."
4Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.
4"Then I said, 'You have sent me away from you. But I will look again toward your holy temple.'"
5The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
5"The water covered me. It was close to taking my life. The deep water closed all around me. Seaweed was wrapped around my head."
6I 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.
6"I sank down to the bottoms of the mountains. The earth shut me in like a locked door forever. But you lifted my life up out of the pit, LORD my God."
The KJV says God brought his life up "from corruption." That means the grave, the deep pit where dead bodies go.
7When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
7"My life was slipping away from me. Then I remembered the LORD. My prayer came up to you, into your holy temple."
8They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
8"Some people hold on to idols, which are gods that are not real. They turn away from the God who loves them."
The KJV says "lying vanities," which means idols. An idol is a statue people treat like a god.
9But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
9"But I will bring you a gift and sing thank you to you. I will do what I promised to do. The LORD is the one who saves."
10And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.
10Then the LORD spoke to the fish. The fish spit Jonah out onto dry land.
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