◄ Jonah 1:14 ►
So they cried out to the LORD: "Please, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man's life! Do not charge us with innocent blood! For You, O LORD, have done as You pleased."
Study Bible
So they cried out to the LORD
This phrase marks a pivotal moment in the narrative, where the sailors, who were likely polytheistic, turn to the God of Israel in their desperation. The Hebrew word for "cried out" is "זָעַק" (za'aq), which conveys a sense of urgent, fervent pleading. This highlights the sailors' recognition of the LORD's supreme power, a significant shift from their initial prayers to their own gods. It underscores the universal reach of God's sovereignty and the innate human response to seek divine intervention in times of crisis.

Please, O LORD
The repetition of "LORD" (YHWH) emphasizes the sailors' acknowledgment of the God of Israel as the one true God. The use of "please" indicates a respectful and earnest appeal, reflecting a humble approach to God. This moment is significant as it shows a transition from fear to faith, even if momentarily, in the hearts of the sailors. It serves as a reminder of God's readiness to hear the cries of all who call upon Him, regardless of their background.

do not let us perish for this man's life
Here, the sailors express their concern for their own lives, recognizing the gravity of the situation. The phrase "for this man's life" indicates their understanding that Jonah's presence and actions have brought this calamity upon them. The Hebrew word for "perish" is "אָבַד" (avad), which conveys a sense of being lost or destroyed. This plea reflects a deep-seated human instinct for survival and a recognition of the sanctity of life, even amidst dire circumstances.

and do not charge us with innocent blood
This part of the verse reveals the sailors' moral and ethical concerns. They are aware of the potential guilt associated with taking Jonah's life, even if indirectly. The phrase "innocent blood" is significant in biblical terms, as shedding innocent blood is considered a grave sin. This reflects the sailors' desire to act justly and their fear of divine retribution. It highlights the universal moral law that transcends cultural and religious boundaries.

For You, O LORD, have done as You pleased
This acknowledgment of God's sovereignty is profound. The sailors recognize that the storm and their predicament are ultimately under God's control. The phrase "as You pleased" suggests an acceptance of God's will, even if it is beyond human understanding. This submission to divine authority is a central theme in the Bible, reminding believers of the importance of trusting in God's plan, even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jonah
- A prophet of God who was commanded to go to Nineveh but fled in the opposite direction, leading to the events on the ship.

2. The Sailors
- Pagan mariners who were caught in a storm due to Jonah's disobedience and sought divine intervention.

3. The LORD (Yahweh)
- The God of Israel, whom the sailors eventually recognize as sovereign and powerful.

4. The Sea
- Represents the chaos and danger that ensues from Jonah's attempt to flee from God's presence.

5. The Storm
- A divine intervention used by God to redirect Jonah and reveal His power to the sailors.
Teaching Points
Recognition of God's Sovereignty
The sailors' plea acknowledges God's control over the situation, teaching us to recognize His sovereignty in our lives.

The Power of Prayer
The sailors' prayer demonstrates the importance of turning to God in times of crisis, even for those who may not initially know Him.

Responsibility and Repentance
The sailors' concern about shedding innocent blood reflects a moral responsibility, urging us to consider the consequences of our actions.

God's Mercy and Grace
Despite Jonah's disobedience, God uses the situation to reveal Himself to the sailors, showing His willingness to extend grace to all.

Divine Purpose in Trials
The storm serves a greater purpose in God's plan, reminding us that our trials can lead to spiritual growth and revelation.
Bible Study Questions
1. How do the sailors' actions and prayers in Jonah 1:14 reflect a change in their understanding of God?

2. In what ways does the account of Jonah and the sailors challenge us to trust in God's sovereignty during difficult times?

3. How can we apply the sailors' example of prayer and seeking God's mercy in our own lives?

4. What does Jonah 1:14 teach us about the importance of taking responsibility for our actions and their impact on others?

5. How can the themes of repentance and divine intervention in Jonah 1:14 be seen in other parts of Scripture, and how do they apply to our personal spiritual journey?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 107:23-30
This passage describes sailors in distress at sea, crying out to the LORD, who calms the storm, similar to the sailors' experience in Jonah.

Acts 27:13-44
Paul's shipwreck experience parallels Jonah's account, highlighting themes of divine sovereignty and human response to God's will.

Matthew 12:39-41
Jesus references Jonah, emphasizing repentance and the sign of Jonah as a foreshadowing of His own death and resurrection.
Sermons
The Sailors ConductG.T. Coster Jonah 1:11-16
The Offender SacrificedW.G. Blaikie Jonah 1:11-17
Storm Stilling ExtraordinaryJ.E. Henry Jonah 1:13-16
People
Amittai, Jonah, Tarshish
Places
Joppa, Mount Esau, Nineveh, Tarshish
Topics
Account, Accountable, Ah, Beg, Beseech, Blood, Cause, Cried, Cry, Crying, Destruction, Die, Ear, Earnestly, Hast, Hold, Innocent, Killing, Lay, Man's, O, Overtake, Perish, Please, Pleased, Prayer, Seemed, Sin, Taking, Wherefore
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jonah 1:14

     8278   innocence, teaching on

Jonah 1:3-15

     5517   seafaring

Jonah 1:4-17

     5828   danger

Jonah 1:11-15

     8328   quietness

Jonah 1:13-14

     9614   hope, results of absence

Library
Guilty Silence and Its Reward
Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2. Arise, go to Nineveh, that great, city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before Me. 3. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. 4. But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Christian Graces.
FAITH. FAITH! Peter saith, faith, in the very trial of it, is much more precious than gold that perisheth. If so, what is the worth or value that is in the grace itself? Faith is so great an artist in arguing and reasoning with the soul, that it will bring over the hardest heart that it hath to deal with. It will bring to my remembrance at once, both my vileness against God, and his goodness towards me; it will show me, that though I deserve not to breathe in the air, yet God will have me an heir …
John Bunyan—The Riches of Bunyan

Whether Divination by Drawing Lots is Unlawful?
Objection 1: It would seem that divination by drawing lots is not unlawful, because a gloss of Augustine on Ps. 30:16, "My lots are in Thy hands," says: "It is not wrong to cast lots, for it is a means of ascertaining the divine will when a man is in doubt." Objection 2: There is, seemingly, nothing unlawful in the observances which the Scriptures relate as being practiced by holy men. Now both in the Old and in the New Testament we find holy men practicing the casting of lots. For it is related …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

The Careless Sinner Awakened.
1, 2. It is too supposable a case that this Treatise may come into such hands.--3, 4. Since many, not grossly vicious, fail under that character.--5, 6. A more particular illustration of this case, with an appeal to the reader, whether it be not his own.--7 to 9. Expostulation with such.--10 to 12. More particularly--From acknowledged principles relating to the Nature of Got, his universal presence, agency, and perfection.--13. From a view of personal obligations to him.--14. From the danger Of this …
Philip Doddridge—The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul

Sovereignty and Human Responsibility
"So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Rom. 14:12). In our last chapter we considered at some length the much debated and difficult question of the human will. We have shown that the will of the natural man is neither Sovereign nor free but, instead, a servant and slave. We have argued that a right conception of the sinner's will-its servitude-is essential to a just estimate of his depravity and ruin. The utter corruption and degradation of human nature is something which …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God

Sign Seekers, and the Enthusiast Reproved.
(Galilee on the Same Day as the Last Section.) ^A Matt. XII. 38-45; ^C Luke XI. 24-36. ^c 29 And when the multitudes were gathering together unto him, ^a 38 Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee. [Having been severely rebuked by Jesus, it is likely that the scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign that they might appear to the multitude more fair-minded and open to conviction than Jesus had represented them to be. Jesus had just wrought …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Nature of Covenanting.
A covenant is a mutual voluntary compact between two parties on given terms or conditions. It may be made between superiors and inferiors, or between equals. The sentiment that a covenant can be made only between parties respectively independent of one another is inconsistent with the testimony of Scripture. Parties to covenants in a great variety of relative circumstances, are there introduced. There, covenant relations among men are represented as obtaining not merely between nation and nation, …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Jonah
The book of Jonah is, in some ways, the greatest in the Old Testament: there is no other which so bravely claims the whole world for the love of God, or presents its noble lessons with so winning or subtle an art. Jonah, a Hebrew prophet, is divinely commanded to preach to Nineveh, the capital of the great Assyrian empire of his day. To escape the unwelcome task of preaching to a heathen people, he takes ship for the distant west, only to be overtaken by a storm, and thrown into the sea, when, by …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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