Jonah 1:16

What does Jonah 1:16 mean?

A plain-English look at Jonah 1:16 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Jonah 1:16 means

In the wake of the calm, the men fear Jehovah exceedingly, shifting from terror of nature to reverence for its Lord. They offer sacrifice and make vows, expressions of genuine response to grace and power. Whether aboard ship or upon reaching shore, their worship shows that God’s purpose included more than disciplining Jonah; He was also revealing Himself to the nations. Ironically, Jonah’s attempted flight becomes the means by which Gentiles come to honor Jehovah. The God who rules the sea wins worshipers from unexpected places through both judgment and mercy.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Then the men feared Jehovah exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice unto Jehovah, and made vows.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Then the men feared Jehovah exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice unto Jehovah, and made vows.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Then great was the men's fear of the Lord; and they made an offering to the Lord and took oaths to him.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and the men fear Jehovah--a great fear, and sacrifice a sacrifice to Jehovah, and vow vows.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and sacrificed victims to the Lord, and made vows.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And the men feared Jehovah exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto Jehovah, and made vows.

Context

With the storm stilled, the sailors’ story reaches a spiritual conclusion. Their fear becomes worship, and their vows indicate ongoing commitment. This completes the arc of the ship scene—crisis, revelation, surrender, and faith. The narrative now turns from the saved sailors back to Jonah. The final verse shows that Jehovah is not done with His runaway prophet; He has prepared an extraordinary means to preserve and transform him.

v.15So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea; and the sea ceased from its raging.

v.16This passage

v.17And Jehovah prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Ecclesiastes 5:4
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou vowest.
Isaiah 26:9
With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee earnestly: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
Mark 4:31
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown upon the earth, though it be less than all the seeds that are upon the earth,
Psalms 66:13
I will come into thy house with burnt-offerings; I will pay thee my vows,
Judges 13:16
And the angel of Jehovah said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread; and if thou wilt make ready a burnt-offering, thou must offer it unto Jehovah. For Manoah knew not that he was the angel of Jehovah.
2 Kings 5:17
And Naaman said, If not, yet, I pray thee, let there be given to thy servant two mules’ burden of earth; for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt-offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto Jehovah.

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