Jonah 2 3

Jonah 2:3 kjv

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 nkjv

For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.

Jonah 2:3 niv

You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me.

Jonah 2:3 esv

For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me.

Jonah 2:3 nlt

You threw me into the ocean depths,
and I sank down to the heart of the sea.
The mighty waters engulfed me;
I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves.

Jonah 2 verses

Jonah 2 3 meaning

Jonah 2:3 captures Jonah's anguished recognition that his dire predicament—being swallowed by a great fish and sinking into the deep—is not mere misfortune but the direct, sovereign act of God. He confesses that God Himself cast him into the profound depths of the sea, where he was utterly engulfed by the chaotic waters and overwhelmed by God's own mighty waves and surging billows. This verse marks Jonah's acknowledgment of divine judgment, shifting from blaming the storm to understanding God's active involvement in his punishment, a crucial step toward repentance and reliance on God for salvation.

Jonah 2 3 Context

Jonah 2:3 is part of Jonah’s prayer from inside the great fish, a poignant psalm of lament and petition. Chapter 1 ends with Jonah being swallowed, and Chapter 2 begins with his immediate turn to the Lord in prayer. This verse specifically describes the climax of his physical distress, moving from the initial throwing into the sea (Jon 1:15) to the terrifying experience within the depths, interpreting it through a theological lens. It’s a direct address to God, acknowledging His hand in Jonah’s punishment. This understanding sets the stage for Jonah's repentance and cry for deliverance later in the chapter. Historically, ancient Near Eastern cultures often associated the deep, tumultuous seas with chaotic, malevolent deities or forces, sometimes hostile to the gods. Jonah's declaration that Yahweh cast him into the deep and controls the waves is a subtle yet powerful polemic against such beliefs, affirming God's absolute sovereignty over all creation, including the deepest parts of the sea, dispelling any notion of rival deities.

Jonah 2 3 Word analysis

• For you cast me (כִּי־שְׁלַכְתַּנִי, kī-shəlakhtaní): The particle "kī" here means "for" or "because," linking this statement to his crying out. The verb "shalak" (שָׁלַךְ) in the Hiphil stem is active and causative, meaning "to throw," "cast," or "send." Jonah uses the direct address "You," recognizing God as the active agent. This is a crucial admission. Jonah initially saw the sailors casting him out (Jon 1:15), but here he attributes the ultimate action to God's hand. It demonstrates his realization that this isn't random fate or human choice, but divine judgment.
• into the deep (מְצוּלָה, məṣūlāh): Refers to the lowest, most profound part of the sea, the abyss. In ancient thought, the deep could symbolize ultimate danger, primeval chaos, and even Sheol (the realm of the dead). It suggests an overwhelming, inescapable environment, far from human help or safety.
• into the heart of the seas (בִּלְבַב יַמִּים, bilibāv yammîm): An idiom signifying the very center, the innermost part, or the greatest intensity. Just as the "heart of the earth" (Matt 12:40) signifies its core, "heart of the seas" implies being in the absolute deepest, most dangerous, and most vital part of the ocean. It suggests not just deep, but critically positioned, where no one could survive naturally.
• and the flood surrounded me (וְנָהָר יְסֹבְבֵנִי, wənāhār yəsovəvênî):
  • flood (נָהָר, nāhār): While often meaning "river," in poetic or descriptive contexts, it can also refer to a powerful current, torrent, or a great mass of overwhelming waters, a deluge. It implies not stagnant deep water, but active, potentially destructive movement.
  • surrounded me (יְסֹבְבֵנִי, yəsovəvênî): From the verb "savav" (סָבַב), meaning "to turn around," "to encircle," "to surround." This emphasizes Jonah's complete engulfment and helplessness, unable to escape the omnipresent water.
• all your waves (כָּל־מִשְׁבָּרֶיךָ, kāl-mishbārêḵā):
  • all (כָּל־, kāl-): Emphasizes totality, indicating the overwhelming extent of the experience.
  • your waves (מִשְׁבָּרֶיךָ, mishbārêḵā): Derived from "shavar" (שָׁבַר), "to break," specifically refers to breakers or billows—waves that crest and break, often violently. Crucially, Jonah attributes these waves to God ("your waves"), underscoring divine ownership and control, even over the most powerful forces of nature.
• and your billows (וְגַלֶּיךָ, wəgalleyḵā):
  • your billows (וְגַלֶּיךָ, wəgalleyḵā): From "gal" (גַּל), "a wave" or "roller," also referring to large, swelling waves. Used in parallelism with "mishbārêḵā" for poetic emphasis and to convey the sheer force and volume of the water. Again, these are "your billows," affirming God's direct agency.
• passed over me (עָבָרוּ עָלָי, ‘āvarū ‘ālāy): The verb "‘avar" (עָבַר) means "to pass over" or "to cross." Combined with "‘ālāy" (over me), it vividly describes being completely submerged and overwhelmed, metaphorically indicating complete ruin or judgment, as one is engulfed by destructive forces.

Words-group analysis

• "For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas": This phrase dramatically shifts Jonah's understanding from mere external circumstance to direct divine judgment. He realizes God, not just the sailors or the storm, is behind his peril. The pairing of "deep" and "heart of the seas" intensifies the imagery of total submergence and extreme danger, leaving no room for natural escape.
• "and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me": This passage uses two distinct metaphors for overwhelming water ("flood" and "waves/billows"), both of which indicate total engulfment. The repeated use of "your" in "your waves and your billows" is critical; Jonah attributes these powerful, life-threatening forces directly to God's command. This shows a deep theological insight: even the instruments of judgment are under God's control, serving His purpose. It also resonates with common Old Testament imagery where God’s judgment or presence can be described using tumultuous water (e.g., Ps 42:7).

Jonah 2 3 Bonus section

The language in Jonah 2:3—specifically "deep," "waves," and "billows"—echoes numerous Psalms of lament (e.g., Psalms 42, 69, 88), where the psalmist often describes feeling utterly overwhelmed by life's troubles using the metaphor of being drowned by tumultuous waters or swallowed by the grave. Jonah is tapping into this rich poetic tradition, yet he adds a critical theological layer: these are God's waves and billows, distinguishing his prayer from general laments and emphasizing God’s direct, sovereign action. This intentional use of language underscores the theological depth of Jonah's prayer and positions him firmly within the covenant community's understanding of Yahweh. The concept of being "cast into the deep" also carries premonitions of death and Sheol (the grave), highlighting the miraculous nature of his deliverance from what was effectively a watery grave inside the fish, an experience directly tied by Jesus Himself to His own death and resurrection as "the sign of Jonah" (Matt 12:40). Thus, this single verse is loaded with both immediate despair and eschatological foreshadowing.

Jonah 2 3 Commentary

Jonah 2:3 serves as a pivotal point in Jonah’s prayer, representing a profound confession of divine sovereignty in his punishment. Earlier, Jonah knew he was fleeing God (Jon 1:3), but now, in the direst imaginable circumstances, he unequivocally acknowledges God's direct hand in casting him into the deep. This is not merely an emotional outcry but a theological insight into the nature of divine judgment—it is purposeful, direct, and overwhelmingly powerful, using creation itself as an instrument. The verse's rich imagery of being swallowed by the "deep" and "heart of the seas" and overwhelmed by God's "waves and billows" draws on ancient Near Eastern concepts of primeval chaos and death, affirming that Yahweh alone controls these forces. This realization—that God is the one behind his suffering, not just an observer—becomes the catalyst for his true repentance and subsequent cry for salvation (Jon 2:4-9). It reflects a truth found throughout Scripture: God uses trials and discipline to bring His people to a deeper dependence and understanding of Him (e.g., Heb 12:5-11).

• Example 1: Like a disobedient child realizing a parental consequence is not arbitrary, but a direct result of their actions and the parent's loving authority.
• Example 2: A believer facing severe illness, recognizing it as potentially part of God's sovereign plan for spiritual growth, rather than just bad luck.