Jonah 2 4

Jonah 2:4 kjv

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

Jonah 2:4 nkjv

Then I said, 'I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.'

Jonah 2:4 niv

I said, 'I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.'

Jonah 2:4 esv

Then I said, 'I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.'

Jonah 2:4 nlt

Then I said, 'O LORD, you have driven me from your presence.
Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple.'

Jonah 2 verses

Jonah 2 4 Meaning

Jonah 2:4 encapsulates Jonah's confession of being spiritually alienated from God's presence due to his disobedience, yet immediately declares his defiant hope and determination to look again towards the divine presence, symbolized by God's holy temple. Despite feeling cast out into an abyss of judgment and separation, he actively chooses to turn his focus back to the only source of salvation and covenant relationship. It signifies a profound moment of despair intertwined with an audacious act of faith and prayer, a desperate reaching out for restoration from the very depths of death.

Jonah 2 4 Context

Jonah 2:4 is part of a prayer Jonah utters from the belly of the great fish (Jonah 2:1-9). After fleeing from God's command to go to Nineveh, a violent storm arises, leading to Jonah being cast into the sea to appease the storm, and subsequently being swallowed by a large fish specially prepared by the Lord. This prayer marks a turning point, showcasing Jonah's acknowledgment of his dire situation—a result of his rebellion—and a flicker of renewed hope and commitment to God. Historically, the Temple in Jerusalem was the spiritual center for Israel, representing God's dwelling place and the focal point for prayer, sacrifice, and seeking God's face. Jonah's desire to look towards the temple signifies a desperate return to traditional worship and a plea for God's restoration, even from the perceived threshold of death.

Jonah 2 4 Word analysis

• וַאֲנִי֙ (va'ani): "And I." The emphatic "I" (אֲנִי - 'ani) here is crucial. It stresses Jonah's personal identity and active voice in this moment of crisis, contrasting with his prior passive flight. It indicates a turning point, a self-awareness in the midst of extreme adversity, shifting from rebellion to an attempt at repentance.
• אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ (amarti): "I said." From the verb אָמַר ('amar), "to say, speak." This signifies Jonah's inner thought or vocal declaration of despair, reflecting his personal realization and prayer.
• נִגְרַ֙שְׁתִּי֙ (nigrashti): "I am cast out," "driven away," "expelled." This verb is in the Niphal (passive) perfect form, emphasizing a completed action that happened to him. It conveys a strong sense of involuntary expulsion, ostracism, or divine judgment, highlighting his feeling of absolute separation and banishment from God's favor and presence. It evokes imagery of exile and alienation from the covenant community.
• מִנֶּ֣גֶד (minneged): "From before," "from in front of," "from opposite." This preposition marks separation and distance.
• עֵינֶ֔יךָ (eineykha): "Your eyes." Refers directly to God's omnipresent gaze. Jonah feels expelled from God's direct sight or favorable regard. This is not about God being unaware, but God having withdrawn His gracious presence, a devastating experience for an Israelite. It implies a sense of abandonment or displeasure from the divine.
• אַ֕ךְ (akh): "Nevertheless," "surely," "but," "only." This strong adversative particle introduces a stark contrast or counterpoint. Despite the deep despair expressed by "I am cast out," 'akh' immediately shifts the tone to a resolute, determined hope. It signals a turn from lament to a declaration of faith.
• אוֹסִ֥יף (osif): "I will add," "I will again," "I will continue." From the verb יָסַף (yasaf), "to add, increase, do again." This implies continuation, repetition, or resumption of an action. It's not a momentary glance, but a persistent and renewed effort.
• לְהַבִּ֖יט (l'habbit): "To look," "to gaze," "to behold intently." This infinitive (לְ + הִבִּיט - l'habbit) emphasizes a deliberate, purposeful act of looking. Jonah is not simply seeing, but actively fixing his gaze with intention and expectation. It suggests a focused attention, a seeking of God's face.
• אֶל־ (el-): "Toward," "to." Indicates direction.
• הֵיכַ֥ל (heikhal): "Temple," "palace." In this context, it refers to the sacred Temple in Jerusalem, God's dwelling place on Earth. It symbolizes the presence of God, the place of atonement, prayer, and divine encounter for the Israelites.
• קָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃ (kodshekha): "Your holiness," "Your holy place." The suffix indicates possession, "Your holy." It underscores the Temple's consecrated nature as the unique sanctuary of God. The Temple, though physical, points to the very essence of God's holy being and His accessible presence.

Words-group analysis:

• "נִגְרַ֙שְׁתִּי֙ מִנֶּ֣גֶד עֵינֶ֔יךָ" ("I am cast out from Your sight"): This phrase expresses the utter devastation of being separated from God's favor and protection. It reflects Jonah's realization that his actions have led him away from the very source of life, echoing sentiments of divine judgment and abandonment found in other lament Psalms.
• "אַ֕ךְ אוֹסִ֥יף לְהַבִּ֖יט אֶל־הֵיכַ֥ל קָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃" ("Nevertheless, I will look again toward Your holy temple"): This is a powerful declaration of resilient faith. Despite the apparent impossibility of his situation (being in the fish's belly), Jonah maintains a posture of hope and repentance. It reflects a core tenet of Israelite faith: even from the depths of despair, one could turn toward Jerusalem, toward the Temple, and cry out to God for deliverance, trusting in His mercy. This resolve transforms a statement of despair into an act of profound trust and persistent seeking of God's presence.

Jonah 2 4 Bonus section

The reference to the "holy temple" in Jonah's prayer holds deep theological significance. It points to the core belief that despite God's transcendence, He chooses to reveal and make Himself present in specific, sacred spaces (initially the Tabernacle, then the Temple). This concept contrasts with surrounding pagan beliefs where gods were tied to specific geographical locations or cultic idols. For Jonah, an Israelite prophet, the Temple symbolized covenant presence, the altar of atonement, and the hearing place of prayers. His prayer, then, is a deeply Jewish plea rooted in centuries of communal and individual worship tradition. While literally inside a fish, the orientation towards the temple demonstrates that prayer's efficacy does not depend on physical location but on the heart's disposition and the object of one's faith. Furthermore, this ancient hope of turning to the physical temple prefigures the New Testament concept of Jesus Christ as the true "temple" (John 2:19-21) and believers as His spiritual temple (1 Cor 3:16, 6:19), through whom direct access to God is made possible for all who believe, removing any geographical limitation for seeking God's face.

Jonah 2 4 Commentary

Jonah 2:4 reveals the core spiritual dynamic of Jonah's prayer: deep contrition coupled with profound, albeit desperate, hope. Jonah acknowledges his self-imposed separation from God due to his disobedience, recognizing that he is "cast out" from God's favor. This is not mere physical displacement but a spiritual alienation. However, even in this state of existential despair—trapped in a marine tomb—his Israelite upbringing and faith prompt him to fix his spiritual gaze on "God's holy temple." This isn't a literal action given his location, but a deeply spiritual act of orienting his heart and mind toward the perceived place of God's presence and mercy. It symbolizes an act of defiant hope, clinging to the belief that despite being at his lowest point, God remains accessible through the pathway of prayer and a return to His designated place of worship. This declaration is a pivotal moment, shifting from rebellion's consequences to repentance's faint glimmer of restoration, a plea for God to reverse His perceived judgment. It showcases the enduring principle that God's door remains open for those who truly seek Him, even from the pit.For practical usage, this verse illustrates that even when we feel furthest from God due to our own failings or overwhelming circumstances, true repentance and faith involve actively turning our hearts towards Him, recognizing that His temple— His presence—remains the place of hope and redemption. It is a reminder to anchor our hope in God's character and accessibility, regardless of how desperate our situation may appear.