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Jonah 2
Jonah 2:1
Yahweh his God
This means "Yahweh, the God he worshiped." The word "his" does not mean that Jonah owned God.
Jonah 2:2
He said
"Jonah said"
I called out to Yahweh about my distress
"I prayed to Yahweh about my great trouble." Even though Jonah was praying to Yahweh, he used Yahweh's name here and not "you." Alternate translation: "Yahweh, I called out to you about my distress"
he answered me
"Yahweh responded to me" or "he helped me"
from the belly of Sheol
"from the center of Sheol" or "from the deep part of Sheol." Possible meanings are 1) Jonah was speaking as being in the belly of the whale was being in Sheol or 2) Jonah believed that he was about to die and go to Sheol or 3) He spoke as if he already had died and gone there. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Jonah 2:3
General Information:
This is a continuation of Jonah's prayer that started in Jonah 2:2. In verse 4 Jonah spoke of something he had prayed before this prayer.
into the depths, into the heart of the seas
This speaks of the vastness of the ocean Jonah was in. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism)
into the heart of the seas
"to the bottom of the sea"
the currents surrounded me
"the sea water closed in around me"
waves and billows
These are disturbances on the surface of the ocean. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-doublet)
Jonah 2:4
I am driven out
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "You have driven me away" or "You have sent me away" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
from before your eyes
Here Yahweh is represented by his "eyes." Alternate translation: "from you" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche)
yet I will again look toward your holy temple
Jonah has hope that, in spite of all he is going through, he will see the temple. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
Jonah 2:5
General Information:
This is a continuation of Jonah's prayer that started in Jonah 2:2.
The waters
"The waters" refers to the sea.
my neck
Some versions understand the Hebrew word in this expression to mean "my life." In that interpretation, the waters were about to take away Jonah's life.
the deep was all around me
"the deep water was all around me"
seaweed
grass that grows in the sea
Jonah 2:6
the earth with its bars closed upon me forever
Jonah used a metaphor to compare the earth to a prison. Alternate translation: "the earth was like a prison that was about to lock me in forever" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Yet you brought up my life from the pit
Jonah speaks of the place of the dead as if it were a pit. Alternate translation: "But you saved my life from the place of the dead" or "But you saved me from the place where the dead people are" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Yahweh, my God!
In some languages, it may be more natural to put this at the beginning of the sentence or next to the word "you."
Jonah 2:7
General Information:
This is a continuation of Jonah's prayer that started in Jonah 2:2.
I called Yahweh to mind
Since Jonah was praying to Yahweh, it might be more clear in some languages to say "I thought about you, Yahweh" or "Yahweh, I thought about you."
then my prayer came to you, to your holy temple
Jonah speaks as if his prayers could travel to God and his temple. Alternate translation: "then you in your holy temple heard my prayer" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Jonah 2:8
They give attention to meaningless gods
"People pay attention to meaningless gods"
forsake covenant faithfulness
"are rejecting you, who would be faithful to them"
Jonah 2:9
General Information:
This is a continuation of Jonah's prayer that started in Jonah 2:2.
But as for me, I
This expression in English shows that there is a contrast between the people Jonah had just spoken about and himself. They paid attention to useless gods, but he would worship Yahweh. Alternate translation: "But I"
I will sacrifice to you with a voice of thanksgiving
This means that Jonah would thank God while he offered a sacrifice to him. It is not clear whether Jonah planned to thank God by singing or shouting joyfully.
I will fulfill that which I have vowed
"I will do what I said I would do"
Salvation comes from Yahweh
This can be reworded so that the abstract noun "salvation" is expressed as the verb "save." "Yahweh is the one who saves people" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-abstractnouns)
Jonah 2:10
upon the dry land
"upon the ground" or "onto the shore"