Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jonah 1:15
So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
15. they took up ] With respect and reluctance, with no struggle on his part, or violence on theirs.
her raging ] Lit., her anger. “Maris ira,” Ovid. Met. I. 330, “iratum mare,” Hor. Epod. II. 5, 6, are quoted by the commentators.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
They took up Jonah – o He does not say, laid hold on him, nor came upon him but lifted him; as it were, bearing him with respect and honor, they cast him into the sea, not resisting, but yielding himself to their will.
The sea ceased (literally stood) from his raging – Ordinarily, the waves still swell, when the wind has ceased. The sea, when it had received Jonah, was hushed at once, to show that God alone raised and quelled it. It stood still, like a servant, when it had accomplished its mission. God, who at all times saith to it Job 38:11, Hitherto shalt thou come and no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed, now unseen, as afterward in the flesh Mat 8:26, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm . If we consider the errors of the world before the Passion of Christ, and the conflicting blasts of diverse doctrines, and the vessel, and the whole race of man, i. e., the creature of the Lord, imperiled, and, after His Passion, the tranquility of faith and the peace of the world and the security of all things and the conversion to God, we shall see how, after Jonah was cast in, the sea stood from its raging . Jonah, in the sea, a fugitive, shipwrecked, dead, sayeth the tempest-tossed vessel; he sayeth the pagan, aforetime tossed to and fro by the error of the world into divers opinions. And Hosea, Amos, Isaiah, Joel, who prophesied at the same time, could not amend the people in Judaea; whence it appeared that the breakers could not be calmed, save by the death of (Him typified by) the fugitive.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
So, Heb. And,
they took up Jonah; as he advised; with reset to themselves, though with full-consent of Jonah, at last they yield. Cast him forth into the sea: see Jon 1:12.
And the sea ceased from her raging; as Jonah had assured them, so they find the sea all on a sudden calm and friendly, which we must understand includes the wind sent into the sea, though it be not mentioned here.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. sea ceased . . . ragingsoat Jesus’ word (Lu 8:24). Godspares the prayerful penitent, a truth illustrated now in the case ofthe sailors, presently in that of Jonah, and thirdly, in that ofNineveh.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
So they took up, Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea,…. They took him out of the hold or cabin where he was, and brought him upon deck; they took him, not against his will, but with his full consent, and according to the direction and advice he gave them: “they”, for there were more than one employed in this affair; one or more very probably took him by the legs, and others put their hands under his arm holes, and so threw him into the sea:
and the sea ceased from her raging; immediately, and became a calm; and the wind also ceased from blowing, which is supposed; the end being answered by the storm, and the person found and obtained, what was sought after by it, it was still and quiet. The story the Jews m tell of his being let down into the sea to his knees, upon which the sea was calm, but became raging again upon his being taken up; and so, at the second time, to his navel; and the third time to his neck; is all fabulous; but he being wholly thrown in, it raged no more.
m Pirke Eliezer, c. 10. fol. 10. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
After they had prayed thus, they cast Jonah into the sea, and “the sea stood still (ceased) from its raging.” The sudden cessation of the storm showed that the bad weather had come entirely on Jonah’s account, and that the sailors had not shed innocent blood by casting him into the sea. In this sudden change in the weather, the arm of the holy God was so suddenly manifested, that the sailors “feared Jehovah with great fear, and offered sacrifice to Jehovah” – not after they landed, but immediately, on board the ship – “and vowed vows,” i.e., vowed that they would offer Him still further sacrifices on their safe arrival at their destination.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Jonah shows here that the tempest arose through his fault; for the issue proved this with certainty. The sailors had not only cast lots, but after Jonah was thrown into the sea the storm calmed, and the sea became still, — this sudden change sufficiently proved that Jonah was the only cause why they were so nearly shipwrecked. For if the sea had not calmed immediately, but after some interval of time, it might have been ascribed to chance: but as the sea instantly rested, it could not be otherwise said than that Jonah was condemned by the judgment of God. He was indeed cast into the sea by the hands of men; but God so presided, that nothing could be ascribed to men, but that they executed the judgment which the Lord had openly demanded and required from them. This, then, is the import of this verse. He now adds —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(15) Raging.Comp. maris ira, Ovid. Met. i. 330; iratum mare, Hor. Epod. ii.57.
At whose burden
The angered ocean foams.
SHAKESPEARE: Ant. and Cleop.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15, 16. The prayer ended, they cast Jonah out, and immediately the sea grew calm.
The men feared Jehovah exceedingly The sudden cessation of the tempest was unfailing evidence that the God of Jonah was the God (Mar 4:41). In his presence they were utterly helpless, and they were still more afraid (Jon 1:10).
Offered a sacrifice Immediately. Partly to express their gratitude and partly to receive the good will and favor of Jehovah.
Made vows The things which they might consider necessary for suitable sacrifices to this powerful God may have been scanty on the ship, therefore, they promise that on the safe completion of the voyage they will bring additional and richer gifts. Nothing more is heard of the sailors.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.’
Then they took up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and no doubt to their great astonishment, discovered that the sea immediately began to quieten down and eventually ceased from its raging. Here was evidence of the mercy of YHWH, for He had heard their cry and had done what they asked, revealing that YHWH was not only the God of Israel but the God of all men, and was the answerer of prayer to all who truly called on Him. This is the first example in the book of God’s willingness to respond in mercy to whoever calls on Him, and is the prime message of the book.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jon 1:15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
Ver. 15. So they took up Jonah ] Not against his will, but in a sort offering himself to condign punishment. The mariners had tried all ways to save him, till they saw they must either destroy him or be destroyed with him. So deal many with their beloved sins, which they are loth to mortify, they see they must either kill or be killed, Rom 8:13 ; either turn from them to God, or burn for ever in hell. Jonah’s charity is exemplary, who yielded to perish alone rather than to have others perish with him and for him; the devil and his imps desire to draw company the same way with themselves; and say, as that wretch of old, When I die, may the earth be all fired, dixit Caligula .
And cast him forth into the sea
And the sea ceased from raging
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Jon 1:15-16
15So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging. 16Then the men feared the LORD greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.
Jon 1:16 the men feared the LORD greatly Several events such as the storm, Jonah’s words, and the storm being stopped, caused them to be awestruck (a COGNATE ACCUSATIVE). These pagans’ growing knowledge caused fear, but not so for Jonah, who had much greater knowledge (cf. Jon 4:2).
offered a sacrifice This is another COGNATE ACCUSATIVE.
and made vows This is another COGNATE ACCUSATIVE, showing an intensity. Their response is very Jewish (cf. Psa 116:17-18). Perhaps they had talked further with Jonah.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
took up = took up with reverence or care: as in Gen 47:30. Exo 28:12, Exo 28:29, &c. Hebrew. nasa’.
cast him, &c. Why are we to assume that the result was different in this case from that in every other, unless so stated? It must have been death. See note on p. 1247.
ceased, &c. Compare Psa 89:9. Luk 8:24.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
they: Jos 7:24-26, 2Sa 21:8, 2Sa 21:9
and the: Psa 89:9, Psa 93:3, Psa 93:4, Psa 107:29, Mat 8:26, Luk 8:24
ceased: Heb. stood
Reciprocal: 2Sa 21:14 – God Psa 65:7 – Which Mar 4:41 – feared
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Verse 15. In casting Jonah into the sea the mariners unconsciously carried out the plan of the Lord. (See the comments on this point at verse 12.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
The immediate cessation of the storm proved to the sailors that Yahweh really did control the sea (cf. Mat 8:26). Therefore they feared (respected) Him, offered a sacrifice to Him (when they reached shore?), and made vows (perhaps to venerate Him, cf. Psa 116:17-18).
"The book of Jonah contains within its few pages one of the greatest concentrations of the supernatural in the Bible. Yet it is significant that the majority of them are based upon natural phenomena." [Note: Gaebelein, p. 83.]
These mariners were almost certainly polytheists, so we should not conclude that they abandoned their worship of other gods and "got saved" necessarily. However their spiritual salvation is a possibility. The fact that they made vows to God may point to their conversion.
Note that these pagan sailors feared God more than the prophet did (Jon 1:9). By their actions they gave Him the respect He deserves, but Jonah did not.
"In this episode the sailors are a foil for Jonah. In contrast to Jonah, who preaches but does not pray, the sailors offer prayers to God. In contrast to Jonah, who says he fears God but acts in a way that is inconsistent with his claim, the sailors, who barely know Jonah’s God, respond to him in genuine fear." [Note: Chisholm, Handbook of . . ., p. 411.]
"Through the defection of Jonah a ship’s crew acknowledges the Creator’s power, comes to the point of worshiping him, and acknowledges him as Lord. If this is the outcome of Jonah’s disobedience, what will God bring to pass as the result of Jonah’s obedience?" [Note: Baldwin, pp. 563-64.]
This story is full of irony. [Note: See Edwin M. Good, Irony in the Old Testament.] When someone knows God but chooses to disobey Him, that person begins to demonstrate even less compassion for others, less faith in God’s sovereignty, and less fear of Him than pagans normally do.
"Above all, the story thus far extols the fact that sin does not pay and that, try as the sinner will to escape, he is God’s marked man. The wages of sin are death." [Note: Allen, p. 213.]