Jonah 1:6
What does Jonah 1:6 mean?
A plain-English look at Jonah 1:6 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Jonah 1:6 means
The shipmaster confronts Jonah with urgent words: “What meanest thou, O sleeper?” He commands Jonah to get up and call on his God, in hope that this deity might notice and spare them. The irony is deep. A pagan captain instructs a prophet of Jehovah to pray. Even in judgment, God’s providence uses outsiders to awaken His servant. The plea recognizes that deliverance depends not on human strength but on divine attention. The captain’s words imply a glimmer of hope: if Jonah will seek his God, perhaps mercy is possible and the ship will not be lost.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
KJV
King James Version · 1611So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And the ship's captain came to him and said to him, What are you doing sleeping? Up! say a prayer to your God, if by chance God will give a thought to us, so that we may not come to destruction.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And the chief of the company draweth near to him, and saith to him, `What--to thee, O sleeper? rise, call unto thy God, it may be God doth bethink himself of us, and we do not perish.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And the ship master came to him and said to him: Why art thou fast asleep? rise up call upon thy God, if so be that God will think of us that we may not perish.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, sleeper? arise, call upon thyGod; perhapsGod will think upon us, that we perish not.
Context
After human efforts fail, the captain turns to spiritual means, insisting that every possible god be invoked—including Jonah’s. This marks a pivot from frantic action to focused inquiry. The stage is set for discerning the true cause of the disaster. The very next step is to cast lots, a method common in the ancient world. Through it, God will reveal Jonah as the source of the storm’s trouble to the sailors and to Jonah himself.
v.5Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god; and they cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it unto them. But Jonah was gone down into the innermost parts of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
v.6This passage
v.7And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Isaiah 3:15
what mean ye that ye crush my people, and grind the face of the poor? saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.
- Esther 4:16
Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast in like manner; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
- Joel 2:11
And Jehovah uttereth his voice before his army; for his camp is very great; for he is strong that executeth his word; for the day of Jehovah is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
- Psalms 107:12
Therefore he brought down their heart with labor; They fell down, and there was none to help.
- Jeremiah 2:27
who say to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face; but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.
- Psalms 107:18
Their soul abhorreth all manner of food; And they draw near unto the gates of death.
Related questions readers ask
Keep reading
Want to dig deeper? Explore Jonah 1
Hand-picked devotionals, topical studies, and pastoral answers that draw on Jonah 1.