The Book of Jonah

Based on the King James Version Modern English Version by James Hampton Belton 1:1 The voice of Yahweh came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying Arise, and go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness has come up before me. 1:3 But instead, Jonah fled from the presence of Yahweh down to Joppa. He found a ship going to Tarshish and paid the fare, and went down into it, to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of Yahweh. 1:4 Yahweh sent a great wind over the sea, and there was a mighty tempest, and the ship seemed likely to break up. The sailors were afraid, and every man cried out to his god, and they cast the ship's cargo into the sea to lighten it. But Jonah had gone below decks, and he lay fast asleep. 1:6 The ship master came to him, and said to What do you mean by sleeping? Arise, and call upon your god, in case that god will save us, so that we do not perish. 1:7 Then the crew said to each other Come, let us cast lots, that we may know who has brought this evil is upon us. They cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. 1:8 Then they said Tell us why this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you? 1:9 He said I am a Hebrew, and I am fleeing from Yahweh, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. 1:10 Then the men were very afraid, and said to him Why have you brought this upon us? What shall we do, so that the sea may be calmed for us? For the sea was pounded by the tempest. 1:12 He said Take me up and cast me into the sea, and the sea will be calm once more. For I know that it is my fault that this great tempest is upon us. 1:13 Despite this, the men rowed hard to bring the ship to land, but they could not, for the sea wrought, and the tempest blew against them. 1:14 They cried to Yahweh We beg you, Yahweh, do not let us not perish for this man's life, and do not blame us for his innocent blood. For you, Yahweh, have done as it pleases you. 1:15 They took up Jonah and cast him into the sea, and the sea ceased her raging. Then the men were in great awe of Yahweh, and offered a sacrifice to Him, and made vows to Him. 1:17 Yahweh had created a great fish, which swallowed Jonah. Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 2:1 Jonah prayed to Yahweh from the belly of the fish I cried by reason of my affliction to Yahweh, and he heard me. From the belly of hell I cried, and you heard my voice. For you had cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas, and the swell surrounded me. All your billows and your waves passed over me. Then I said, I have been cast out of your sight, yet I will look once more toward your holy temple. The waters surrounded me, even to the soul. The depths enclosed me, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the roots of the mountains. The earth with her bars was about me for

ever. Yet have you kept my life from corruption, Yahweh my God. When my soul fainted within me, I remembered you Yahweh, and my prayer came to you, in your holy temple. They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice to your with the voice of thanksgiving. I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation is of Yahweh. 2:10 Yahweh spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon dry land. 3:1 The word of Yahweh came to Jonah a second time, saying Arise, and go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it that which I bid you. 3:3 Jonah went to Nineveh, according to Yahweh's wishes. Nineveh was a very great city, three days' journey across. Jonah entered the city, and walked for an entire day before stopping to preach. In forty days, said Jonah, Nineveh shall be overthrown by Yahweh. 3:5 The people of Nineveh believed him, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Word came to the king of Nineveh, and he rose from his throne, laid his robes aside, and covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 3:7 The king had it proclaimed throughout Nineveh, by the decree of the king and his nobles, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any food. Do not let them not feed or drink water. Let both man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to Yahweh. Let every one turn from his evil ways, and from the violence done by his hands. Perhaps Yahweh will change his mind, and turn aside his anger, so that we will not perish. 3:10 Yahweh saw their works, and that they had turned from their evil ways, He reconsidered the evil that he had said that he would do to them, and he did not destroy the city. This displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. 4:2 He prayed to Yahweh, saying, Yahweh, was this not what I said, when I was still in my country? That is why I fled to Tarshish, for I know that you are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and you would reconsider the evil that you intended to do. Therefore now, Yahweh, I beg you, take my life from me. For it is better for me to die than to go on living. 4:4 Yahweh said Are you right to be angry? 4:5 Jonah left the city, made a shelter outside the east wall of the city, sat under it in the shade, and waited to see what would become of the city. Yahweh created a plant, and made it grow up over Jonah to shade his head, to deliver him from his grief. Jonah was exceeding glad because of the gourd. 4:7 Yahweh created a worm and it infested the plant so that when morning came the next day, it withered. When the sun rose, Yahweh raised a vehement east wind, and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, so that he fainted, and wished to die, saying It is better for me to die than to live. 4:9 Yahweh said to Jonah Are you right to be angry for the gourd? Jonah said I am right to be angry, even to death. 4:10 Yahweh said You take pity on a plant, which you have not laboured over, nor made grow, which came up in a night, and perished in a night. Therefore shouldn't I spare Nineveh, that great city of more then one hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot discern between their right hand and left hand, and as many cattle?