# the sailors

the men who worked on the ship

# his own god

Here "god" refers to false gods and idols that people worship.

# They threw the ship's cargo

"The men threw the heavy things off the ship." This was done to keep the ship from sinking.

# to lighten it

Making the ship lighter would make if float better. Alternate translation: "to help the ship float better"

# But Jonah had gone down into the innermost parts of the ship

Jonah did this before the storm started.

# down into the innermost parts of the ship

"inside the ship"

# was lying there deeply asleep

"was lying there fast asleep" or "was lying there and sleeping deeply." For this reason, the storm did not wake him up.