“I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me.”

Jonah 2:2 (KJV)

The story

Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, found a ship going to Tarshish, paid the fare thereof, and went down into it. The word down repeats through the chapter, tracking a man moving steadily away from where God had told him to go. Jonah 1:1-3

But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest, so that the ship was like to be broken. The mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and threw the wares into the sea to lighten the ship. Meanwhile Jonah had gone down into the sides of the ship and lay fast asleep. The shipmaster found him and said, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God. Then they cast lots to know for whose cause this evil was upon them, and the lot fell upon Jonah. Jonah 1:4-7

They asked him about his occupation, his country, and his people. He answered, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. The men were exceedingly afraid, because he had already told them he fled from the presence of the LORD. When they asked what to do, Jonah said, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. The sailors did not do it at once; they rowed hard to bring the ship to land, but they could not. Jonah 1:8-13

At last they cried unto the LORD not to lay innocent blood upon them, and cast Jonah into the sea, and the sea ceased from her raging. Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice, and made vows. Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. There he prayed unto the LORD his God, saying that he cried out of the belly of hell and God heard his voice, and ending, Salvation is of the LORD. And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land. Jonah 1:14-2:10

Quiz

1. Whose son was Jonah?

   • Amittai
   • Amoz
   • Beeri
   • Buzi

2. Why did God tell Jonah to cry against Nineveh?

   • Their army threatened Israel
   • Their wickedness was come up before him
   • They had no king
   • They worshipped the sea

3. From what port did Jonah sail?

   • Tyre
   • Sidon
   • Joppa
   • Gaza

4. What did the mariners do first when the storm struck?

   • Cried every man unto his god and cast the wares into the sea
   • Woke Jonah
   • Cast lots
   • Turned the ship about

5. What did the shipmaster call Jonah?

   • O stranger
   • O sleeper
   • O Hebrew
   • O prophet

6. How did Jonah describe the LORD to the sailors?

   • The God of Israel only
   • The God of the mountains
   • The God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land
   • The God of storms

7. What did the sailors try before casting Jonah out?

   • They rowed hard to bring the ship to land
   • They prayed to their idols again
   • They threw the mast overboard
   • They anchored

8. What happened to the sea when Jonah was cast into it?

   • It grew worse
   • It ceased from her raging
   • It froze
   • It turned red

9. How did the mariners respond after the sea calmed?

   • They sailed away quickly
   • They blamed the shipmaster
   • They feared the LORD, offered a sacrifice, and made vows
   • They searched for Jonah

10. How does Jonah's prayer in the fish end?

    • Salvation is of the LORD
    • Let me return to Joppa
    • I will go to Nineveh
    • Remember me, O LORD