Jonah 1:13 kjv

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 1:13 nkjv

Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them.

Jonah 1:13 niv

Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before.

Jonah 1:13 esv

Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.

Jonah 1:13 nlt

Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn't make it.

Jonah 1 verses

Jonah 1 13 Meaning

Jonah 1:13 reveals the futility of human effort when directly resisting God's determined will. Despite the sailors' desperate and strenuous attempts to return the ship to land and avoid executing divine judgment on Jonah, their strength proved utterly inadequate as God intensely escalated the storm against their endeavors. This verse demonstrates that when God has a purpose, no human action, no matter how vigorous or well-intended, can stand in His way.

Jonah 1 13 Context

The Book of Jonah presents Yahweh's compassionate sovereignty extending even to gentile nations, challenging the narrow, ethnocentric views of some Israelites. Chapter 1 introduces Jonah, commanded by God to preach in Nineveh, who attempts to flee to Tarshish, explicitly away from the "presence of the LORD." God responds by sending a severe storm, exposing Jonah's disobedience. After the pagan sailors exhaust their own rituals and recognize the storm as supernatural, casting lots reveals Jonah as the cause. Jonah confesses his God and sin (vv. 9-10). Having heard Jonah's true identity and the confession of his flight, the sailors understood that the only way to appease the raging sea was to follow Jonah's instruction to throw him overboard (vv. 11-12). Verse 13 depicts their initial reluctance and their final desperate attempt, using all their human strength, to avert this grim necessity, demonstrating their profound struggle against what was becoming clear as God's will. The intensifying storm serves as God's persistent hand, leaving them no alternative.

Jonah 1 13 Word analysis

• Nevertheless (וַיַּחְתְּרוּ - wa-yakhtru): The Hebrew verb comes from a root meaning "to dig" or "to force a way through," conveying an effort that is arduous, stubborn, and desperate. This signifies not just mere rowing, but an intense physical exertion against powerful opposition, indicative of the sailors' deep resistance or unwillingness to directly execute a command they perceived as involving violence. It highlights a human will straining against a known divine decree.
• the men (הָאֲנָשִׁים - ha'anashim): Refers specifically to the non-Israelite mariners, whose previous actions show their transition from invoking their own deities to acknowledging and greatly fearing the LORD, the God of Jonah (v. 10). Their continued human effort, despite this fear, underscores their moral dilemma.
• rowed hard (וַיַּחְתְּרוּ - wa-yakhtru): This repetition emphasizes the extreme physical and mental effort involved. It's a second active attempt by them, signifying persistence and maximum exertion, showing how deeply they wished to avoid the implied divine instruction of casting Jonah overboard.
• to bring it back (לְהָשִׁיב - lehashiv): The infinitive form denotes purpose: they aimed to "cause the ship to return." This reveals their desperate desire to regain control of the situation and find safety through their own means, rather than submitting to what appeared to be God's decree.
• to land (אֶל־הַיַּבָּשָׁה - 'el hayabashah): "To the dry land." This represents safety, stability, and normalcy, the exact opposite of the chaotic and perilous sea. It contrasts with God's design for Jonah to be cast into the unstable waters.
• but they could not (וְלֹא יָכְלוּ - v'lo yakhelu): A concise, emphatic declaration of absolute failure and human impotence. This clause forms a stark contrast to their "rowing hard," unequivocally demonstrating that all their strength and determination were completely insufficient against divine power.
• for (כִּי - ki): This causal conjunction clearly links their failure directly to the escalating force of the sea, identifying it as the direct and undeniable reason for their inability.
• the sea grew more and more tempestuous (הַיָּם הוֹלֵךְ וְסֹעֵר - hayyam holekh v'so'er):
  • הוֹלֵךְ וְסֹעֵר (holekh v'so'er): This is a Hebrew progressive idiom, literally "going and raging." It denotes continuous, intensifying action. The storm wasn't just staying severe; it was actively worsening, becoming progressively more violent. This active escalation powerfully indicates God's unwavering and increasing opposition to their efforts, ensuring His will would be done.
• against them (עֲלֵיהֶם - aleihem): Explicitly states that the increasing fury of the sea was directly and specifically directed at their attempts to reach land. This was not a random natural phenomenon but a divine force purposefully contending with their every action.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to bring it back to land": This phrase illuminates the human inclination toward self-reliance and resistance when faced with what seems an unbearable divine imperative. The strenuous effort indicates their desperate reluctance to directly obey the seemingly violent solution to their predicament, highlighting a moral struggle or fear. This showcases the persistent opposition of human will, despite clarity regarding God's hand in the events.
• "but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them": This segment unequivocally declares the unyielding sovereignty of God. The complete failure of the sailors' robust human endeavors demonstrates the absolute impotence of might or good intentions when opposed to God's purpose. The escalating storm signifies God's active and persistent intervention, compelling the sailors toward the path of His ordained will, emphasizing that He would not be deterred.

Jonah 1 13 Bonus section

• Pagan Contrast: The escalating storm "against them" serves as a direct polemic against the various sea deities or local gods that pagan sailors of that era might have believed in (like their initial calls in v. 5). The LORD alone demonstrates active, undeniable, and irresistible control over the sea, compelling submission, thereby undermining the efficacy of all other gods and validating His unique supreme authority.
• Moral Quandary: The sailors' hesitation and intense physical effort speak to their strong ethical compass. Despite understanding the divine cause and solution, they preferred exhausting themselves physically rather than morally consenting to what appeared as the taking of a life, even when it meant saving their own. This sets them apart from the disobedient prophet Jonah and highlights God's grace extending even to their moral convictions.
• Divine Persistence: This verse underscores God's persistent pursuit of His will. The increasing tempest illustrates that God does not give up easily; He escalates His methods of intervention until His purpose is realized. This force majeure is part of His comprehensive plan to bring both Jonah to repentance and the pagan sailors to fear Him.

Jonah 1 13 Commentary

Jonah 1:13 stands as a profound illustration of God's active sovereignty and the utter futility of resisting His determined will. Even after Jonah's confession revealed that the tempest was a direct divine judgment upon him, and likely an implicit command for the sailors to cast him overboard (v. 12), the compassionate mariners chose to attempt to thwart this grim necessity. Their "rowing hard" indicates a desperate, strenuous, last-ditch effort to save the ship and Jonah without having to resort to an act that seemed abhorrent. However, God, the sovereign Lord of creation, did not simply sustain the storm; He "grew it more and more tempestuous." This intensifying action demonstrates that God's will is not static but active and unrelenting. Every oar stroke met with magnified resistance, making it explicitly clear that God Himself was actively opposing their efforts. This pivotal verse powerfully conveys that when God has a purpose, human strength, moral reluctance, or ingenuity—no matter how formidable or well-intentioned—are utterly powerless to deflect or delay His design. It teaches that true peace comes not from struggling against divine decree, but from humble submission.