Jonah 1:11 kjv
Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.
Jonah 1:11 nkjv
Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?"?for the sea was growing more tempestuous.
Jonah 1:11 niv
The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?"
Jonah 1:11 esv
Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?" For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.
Jonah 1:11 nlt
And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, "What should we do to you to stop this storm?"
Jonah 1 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 107:23-30 | Some went down to the sea in ships... He commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea... Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. | God's power over sea & storm, human cry. |
| Matt 8:23-27 | Jesus... rebuke the winds and the sea... The men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” | Jesus' power over creation, disciples' fear. |
| Mark 4:37-41 | And a great windstorm arose... And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased... And they were filled with great fear... | Divine control over storms, human awe. |
| Luke 8:22-25 | A windstorm came down on the lake... And he got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. | Christ calming a storm. |
| Job 38:8-11 | Or who shut in the sea with doors... when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band... and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’? | God's sovereign control over the sea. |
| Ps 65:7 | you who still the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves... | God stills raging waters. |
| Ps 89:9 | You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. | God's dominion over the ocean. |
| Acts 2:37 | Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” | People convicted of sin asking what to do. |
| Acts 16:30 | Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” | Jailer seeking salvation. |
| Ezra 10:3 | Let us make a covenant with our God to put away all such wives... according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the Law. | Resolving a spiritual problem through action. |
| Mic 6:6-8 | “With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings...? He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you... | Question of how to please God, true requirement. |
| 1 Ki 18:21 | How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. | Call for decisive action/commitment to God. |
| Is 57:20 | But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. | Troubled sea as a metaphor for the wicked. |
| Jon 1:4 | But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break apart. | Direct cause of the storm (Yahweh). |
| Jon 1:10 | For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. | Sailors' awareness of Jonah's God. |
| Josh 7:16-26 | Story of Achan's sin causing Israel's defeat; asking 'What have you done to us?' followed by his punishment and removal of divine wrath. | Sin affecting a group, demanding removal of cause. |
| Gen 6:17 | For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life from under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall perish. | Divine judgment through water/sea. |
| Lev 16:11-34 | The detailed description of the Day of Atonement rituals. | Concept of propitiation/atonement for sin. |
| Heb 9:22 | Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. | Necessity of sacrifice for sin. |
| Matt 27:3-5 | When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned...” | Repentance and seeking action for sin. |
Jonah 1 verses
Jonah 1 11 Meaning
Jonah 1:11 describes the terrified mariners' desperate plea to Jonah. Having learned he is fleeing from his God, they ask what they must do to him so that the severe storm, which is only intensifying, will calm down for their sakes. They recognize that Jonah, or more specifically his God, is the cause of the relentless tempest and seek a means to appease divine wrath and ensure their survival.
Jonah 1 11 Context
Jonah 1:11 stands at a pivotal point in the opening chapter of the book. Prior to this, God has commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh (v. 1-2), but Jonah has actively disobeyed, fleeing by ship to Tarshish (v. 3). The Lord then sends a severe storm to stop Jonah (v. 4). The pagan sailors, in contrast to Jonah's defiance, labor diligently to save their lives and ship (v. 5), eventually casting lots which reveal Jonah as the cause of their trouble (v. 7). Jonah, pressured, confesses his identity as a "Hebrew" who worships "the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land" and admits he is fleeing from Him (v. 9-10). This confession profoundly terrifies the sailors, because they realize they are caught in a storm orchestrated by the supreme Creator God whom Jonah has offended. This verse reflects their newfound terror and their desperate attempt to placate this mighty God, recognizing the storm is not a natural phenomenon but a divine consequence directly tied to Jonah's presence and actions.
Jonah 1 11 Word analysis
- Then (wayyō'měrû): This particle serves as a connective, linking the sailors' previous terror and understanding (v. 10) to their direct question. It signals a shift from fearful comprehension to active inquiry.
- they said: The initiative comes from the mariners. Their collective voice shows agreement in their fear and desire for resolution.
- to him: Their address is specifically directed to Jonah, the identified source of their tribulation.
- What (māh): An interrogative pronoun, expressing profound uncertainty and desperation. It asks for a definitive course of action.
- shall we do (naʿăśeh): This is a first-person plural verb, indicating their collective readiness to act. It points to their willingness to intervene and perform a specific act. The verb ʿāśâ means "to do, to make, to act."
- to you (lāk): This phrase is crucial. The sailors understand that Jonah is not merely a passenger but the one through whom the storm has come. They perceive that an action regarding him is required, not just an action on the sea or their ship. This suggests they instinctively link his personal guilt to the storm. This preposition emphasizes Jonah's person as central to the resolution.
- that the sea (wəyiš·ṯoq kammim): "Sea" (yam) here refers to the tempestuous body of water threatening their lives. They want this specific manifestation of divine wrath to cease.
- may quiet down (yiš·ṯoq): From the Hebrew root šāqaṭ, meaning "to be quiet," "to be at rest," "to become still." It implies a return to a peaceful, non-threatening state, signifying the cessation of divine judgment.
- for us (mennū): Emphasizes their self-preservation. Their primary concern is to save themselves and the ship.
- For (kî): Introduces a causal clause, providing the reason for their desperate inquiry.
- the sea (hayyam): Reiteration of the main antagonist in the immediate situation.
- was growing more and more tempestuous (hôlēḵ wəsōʿēr): This is a Hebrew idiom combining the participle hôlēḵ ("going," "walking") with the verb sōʿēr ("to rage," "to be turbulent," often used for a violent storm or whirlwind, frequently linked to divine judgment). It vividly depicts the storm's increasing intensity, confirming their fear is justified and highlighting the storm's unnatural and escalating nature. This continuous increase underscores the futility of their prior efforts and the growing urgency of their need for divine intervention.
Jonah 1 11 Bonus section
The question posed by the sailors echoes similar questions of repentance and atonement found elsewhere in the Bible, such as "What shall we do?" after being convicted of sin (Acts 2:37) or the query about "what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30). Though they operate from a pagan background with ideas of placating angry gods, their inquiry nevertheless leads them to the true God's demand for action and confession. The relentless increase of the storm ("more and more tempestuous") serves a theological purpose, continually emphasizing God's omnipotence and unwavering commitment to His will, demonstrating that divine judgment will persist until its root cause is addressed.
Jonah 1 11 Commentary
Jonah 1:11 encapsulates the sailors' transition from pagan superstition to a profound, though still incomplete, understanding of Yahweh's power. Their initial panic, coupled with their extensive seafaring experience, tells them this is no ordinary storm. Once Jonah confesses his flight from the Creator God, they grasp the theological underpinning: the storm is an act of divine judgment. Their question, "What shall we do to you?" is highly significant. It demonstrates an intuitive recognition of propitiation—that the offended divine being requires an act related to the offending party. They don't ask how to quiet the storm themselves, but how to quiet it through an action taken against the one who offended God. The ongoing escalation of the storm serves as a continuous, terrifying confirmation of Jonah's confession and the potency of his God. It emphasizes that no human effort—throwing cargo, rowing harder—could mitigate divine wrath. Only an answer from the source of the trouble could solve it, thus turning their focus to Jonah and the demands of his God. This verse showcases the immediate and overwhelming impact of a direct encounter with the Lord's omnipotence and righteous anger, even on those previously unaware of Him.