Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” New Living Translation “Why has this awful storm come down on us?” they demanded. “Who are you? What is your line of work? What country are you from? What is your nationality?” English Standard Version Then they said to him, “Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” Berean Standard Bible “Tell us now,” they demanded, “who is to blame for this calamity that is upon us? What is your occupation, and where have you come from? What is your country, and who are your people?” King James Bible Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou? New King James Version Then they said to him, “Please tell us! For whose cause is this trouble upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” New American Standard Bible Then they said to him, “Tell us, now! On whose account has this catastrophe struck us? What is your occupation, and where do you come from? What is your country, and from what people are you?” NASB 1995 Then they said to him, “Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” NASB 1977 Then they said to him, “Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” Legacy Standard Bible Then they said to him, “Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamitous evil struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” Amplified Bible Then they said to him, “Now tell us! Who is to blame for this disaster? What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country?” Christian Standard Bible Then they said to him, “Tell us who is to blame for this trouble we’re in. What is your business, and where are you from? What is your country, and what people are you from? ” Holman Christian Standard Bible Then they said to him, “Tell us who is to blame for this trouble we’re in. What is your business and where are you from? What is your country and what people are you from?” American Standard Version Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; what is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou? Contemporary English Version They started asking him, "Are you the one who brought all this trouble on us? What business are you in? Where do you come from? What is your country? Who are your people?" English Revised Version Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; what is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou? GOD'S WORD® Translation They asked him, "Tell us, why has this disaster happened to us? What do you do for a living? Where do you come from? What country are you from? What nationality are you?" Good News Translation So they said to him, "Now, then, tell us! Who is to blame for this? What are you doing here? What country do you come from? What is your nationality?" International Standard Version So they interrogated him: "Tell us, why has this trouble come upon us? What's your occupation? Where'd you come from? What's your home country? What's your nationality?" NET Bible They said to him, "Tell us, whose fault is it that this disaster has overtaken us? What's your occupation? Where do you come from? What's your country? And who are your people?" New Heart English Bible Then they asked him, "Tell us, please, for whose cause this evil is on us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? Of what people are you?" Webster's Bible Translation Then said they to him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thy occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou? Majority Text Translations Majority Standard Bible“Tell us now,” they demanded, “who is to blame for this calamity that is upon us? What is your occupation, and where have you come from? What is your country, and who are your people?” World English Bible Then they asked him, “Tell us, please, for whose cause this evil is on us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? Of what people are you?” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd they say to him, “Now declare to us, on whose account [is] this evil on us? What [is] your occupation, and where do you come from? What [is] your country, seeing you are not of this people?” Young's Literal Translation And they say unto him, 'Declare to us, we pray thee, on what account this evil is on us? what is thine occupation, and whence comest thou? what is thy country, seeing thou art not of this people?' Smith's Literal Translation And they will say to him, Announce now to us, on account of whom is this evil to us? what thy work? and from whence wilt thou come? what thy land? and from what people art thou? Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd they said to him: Tell us for what cause this evil is upon us, what is thy business? of what country art thou? and whither goest thou? or of what people art thou? Catholic Public Domain Version And they said to him: “Explain to us what is the reason that this disaster is upon us. What is your work? Which is your country? And where are you going? Or which people are you from?” New American Bible They said to him, “Tell us why this evil has come to us! What is your business? Where do you come from? What is your country, and to what people do you belong?” New Revised Standard Version Then they said to him, “Tell us why this calamity has come upon us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThen they said to him, Tell us for what cause this evil has come upon us; what is your occupation? And from what place do you come? What is your country? And of what people are you? Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And they said to him: ’Show us why this evil has come upon us! What is your work and from where are you, and what is your land and from which people are you?’ OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Then said they unto him: 'Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us: what is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?' Brenton Septuagint Translation And they said to him, Tell us what is thine occupation, and whence comest thou, and of what country and what people art thou? Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Great Storm…7“Come!” said the sailors to one another. “Let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity that is upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8“Tell us now,” they demanded, “who is to blame for this calamity that is upon us? What is your occupation, and where have you come from? What is your country, and who are your people?” 9“I am a Hebrew,” replied Jonah. “I worship the LORD, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.”… Cross References Acts 27:21-25 After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete. Then you would have averted this disaster and loss. / But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because you will not experience any loss of life, but only of the ship. / For just last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me ... Mark 4:37-41 Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped. / But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?” / Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm. ... Matthew 8:24-27 Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was engulfed by the waves. But Jesus was sleeping. / The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” / “You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm. ... Luke 8:23-25 As they sailed, He fell asleep, and a windstorm came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. / The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and they subsided, and all was calm. / “Where is your faith?” He asked. Frightened and amazed, they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him!” Acts 27:9-11 By now much time had passed, and the voyage had already become dangerous because it was after the Fast. So Paul advised them, / “Men, I can see that our voyage will be filled with disaster and great loss, not only to ship and cargo, but to our own lives as well.” / But contrary to Paul’s advice, the centurion was persuaded by the pilot and by the owner of the ship. Acts 27:13-20 When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had their opportunity. So they weighed anchor and sailed along, hugging the coast of Crete. / But it was not long before a cyclone called the Northeaster swept down across the island. / Unable to head into the wind, the ship was caught up. So we gave way and let ourselves be driven along. ... Acts 27:39-44 When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they sighted a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. / Cutting away the anchors, they left them in the sea as they loosened the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. / But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was being broken up by the pounding of the waves. ... Matthew 12:39-41 Jesus replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. / For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. / The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here. Luke 11:29-32 As the crowds were increasing, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. / For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so the Son of Man will be a sign to this generation. / The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now One greater than Solomon is here. ... John 1:45-46 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” / “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. John 4:7-9 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” / (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) / “You are a Jew,” said the woman. “How can You ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) John 7:52 “Aren’t you also from Galilee?” they replied. “Look into it, and you will see that no prophet comes out of Galilee.” 2 Kings 14:25 This Jeroboam restored the boundary of Israel from Lebo-hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word that the LORD, the God of Israel, had spoken through His servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher. Nahum 1:3-4 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. His path is in the whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet. / He rebukes the sea and dries it up; He makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts. Psalm 107:23-30 Others went out to sea in ships, conducting trade on the mighty waters. / They saw the works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep. / For He spoke and raised a tempest that lifted the waves of the sea. ... Treasury of Scripture Then said they to him, Tell us, we pray you, for whose cause this evil is on us; What is your occupation? and from where come you? what is your country? and of what people are you? Tell. Joshua 7:19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. 1 Samuel 14:43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die. James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. What is thine. Genesis 47:3 And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers. 1 Samuel 30:13 And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick. Jump to Previous Account Calamity Cause Clear Country Declare Evil Making Occupation Please Responsible Struck Whence WorkJump to Next Account Calamity Cause Clear Country Declare Evil Making Occupation Please Responsible Struck Whence WorkJonah 1 1. Jonah, sent to Nineveh, flees to Tarshish.4. He is betrayed by a great storm; 11. thrown into the sea; 17. and swallowed by a fish. “Tell us now,” they demanded, The sailors' demand reflects the urgency and desperation of the situation. In ancient maritime culture, storms were often seen as divine retribution, prompting the crew to seek answers from Jonah. This mirrors the human tendency to seek divine insight during crises, as seen in other biblical narratives like the story of Achan in Joshua 7. “who is to blame for this calamity that is upon us? What is your occupation, and where have you come from? What is your country, and who are your people?” Persons / Places / Events 1. JonahA prophet of God who is fleeing from the Lord's command to go to Nineveh. His disobedience leads to a storm threatening the ship he is on. 2. Sailors The crew on the ship with Jonah, who are desperate to understand the cause of the storm and seek to save themselves and the ship. 3. The Ship The vessel Jonah boards to flee to Tarshish, representing his attempt to escape God's presence and command. 4. The Storm A divinely sent tempest that threatens the ship, symbolizing God's intervention and the consequences of disobedience. 5. The Sea Represents chaos and danger, often used in Scripture to symbolize the unknown and the uncontrollable forces of nature. Teaching Points Divine Sovereignty and Human ResponsibilityGod's control over nature and circumstances is evident in the storm. Our actions have consequences, and we are accountable to God for our obedience or disobedience. The Importance of Identity and Purpose The sailors' questions to Jonah highlight the significance of knowing who we are and our purpose. As Christians, our identity in Christ should guide our actions and decisions. The Call to Repentance Jonah's account is a reminder of the need for repentance. When we stray from God's path, we must turn back to Him, acknowledging our failures and seeking His forgiveness. Witnessing to Others in Crisis The sailors' interaction with Jonah shows how crises can open opportunities for witness. Our response to life's storms can point others to God. God's Relentless Pursuit Despite Jonah's attempt to flee, God pursues him. This demonstrates God's relentless love and desire for us to fulfill His purposes. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Jonah 1How do the accounts of cities captured by different tribes in Judges 1 align (or conflict) with archaeological evidence regarding the settlement patterns in Canaan? What is the Bible's perspective on judgment? Jonah 4:11 - Is there any historical or archaeological evidence that Nineveh underwent such widespread repentance to justify Jonah's reaction in this chapter? How can we interpret current events theologically?(8) For whose cause . . .--The Hebrew idiom is peculiar, on account of which to whom; but in this verse, when addressed by the sailors to the prophet, it is expressed in a more elegant form than when used to each other in the preceding verse, one among many touches marking the artistic perfection of this narrative. It is true some MSS. omit this repetition of the question, and it is therefore by some commentators treated as a gloss. But the repetition is quite natural. The sailors seeing the lot fall on one whose appearance was so little suspicious, are anxious to have it confirmed by his confession. Not less natural is the rapid and excited leap from question to question. (Comp. Virg. 'n. 8:112, 113.)Verse 8. - The mariners having, as they supposed, discovered the culprit, proceed calmly to investigate his guilt; amid the roaring of the tempest and the peril that surrounded them, they give him every opportunity of clearing himself or confessing his crime. For whose cause. Some manuscripts of the Hebrew and the Greek omit this clause as unnecessary; but, as Keil remarks, it is not superfluous, the sailors thereby wishing to induce Jonah to confess his guilt with his own mouth. In their excitement they crowd question upon question, asking him about his business, his journey, his country, his parentage. Jerome notes the pregnant brevity of these inquiries, and compares Virgil, 'AEneid,' 8:112, etc. - "Juvenes, quae causa subegit "Warriors, what cause constrained you thus to tempt Hebrew “Tellהַגִּידָה־ (hag·gî·ḏāh-) Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular Strong's 5046: To be conspicuous us לָ֔נוּ (lā·nū) Preposition | first person common plural Strong's Hebrew now,” נָּ֣א (nā) Interjection Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then' they demanded, וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ (way·yō·mə·rū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 559: To utter, say “who לְמִי־ (lə·mî-) Preposition-l | Interrogative Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix is to blame בַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר (ba·’ă·šer) Preposition-b | Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that for this הַזֹּ֖את (haz·zōṯ) Article | Pronoun - feminine singular Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that, calamity הָרָעָ֥ה (hā·rā·‘āh) Article | Adjective - feminine singular Strong's 7451: Bad, evil that is upon us? לָ֑נוּ (lā·nū) Preposition | first person common plural Strong's Hebrew What [is] מַה־ (mah-) Interrogative Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what your occupation, מְּלַאכְתְּךָ֙ (mə·laḵ·tə·ḵā) Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 4399: Deputyship, ministry, employment, work, property and from where וּמֵאַ֣יִן (ū·mê·’a·yin) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Adverb Strong's 370: Whence? have you come? תָּב֔וֹא (tā·ḇō·w) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go What מָ֣ה (māh) Interrogative Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what is your country, אַרְצֶ֔ךָ (’ar·ṣe·ḵā) Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 776: Earth, land and who וְאֵֽי־ (wə·’ê-) Conjunctive waw | Interrogative Strong's 335: Where?, how? are your אָֽתָּה׃ (’āt·tāh) Pronoun - second person masculine singular Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you people?” עַ֖ם (‘am) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock Links Jonah 1:8 NIVJonah 1:8 NLT Jonah 1:8 ESV Jonah 1:8 NASB Jonah 1:8 KJV Jonah 1:8 BibleApps.com Jonah 1:8 Biblia Paralela Jonah 1:8 Chinese Bible Jonah 1:8 French Bible Jonah 1:8 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Jonah 1:8 Then they asked him Tell us please (Jon. Jh) |
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