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Chapter 2

1

But the LORD sent a large fish, that swallowed Jonah; and he remained in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

2

From the belly of the fish Jonah said this prayer to the LORD, his God:

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Out of my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me; From the midst of the nether world I cried for help, and you heard my voice.

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For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the sea, and the flood enveloped me; All your breakers and your billows passed over me.

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Then I said, "I am banished from your sight! yet would I again look upon your holy temple."

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The waters swirled about me, threatening my life; the abyss enveloped me; seaweed clung about my head.

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Down I went to the roots of the mountains; the bars of the nether world were closing behind me forever, But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD, my God.

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When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; My prayer reached you in your holy temple.

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Those who worship vain idols forsake their source of mercy.

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But I, with resounding praise, will sacrifice to you; What I have vowed I will pay: deliverance is from the LORD.

11

Then the LORD commanded the fish to spew Jonah upon the shore.

The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:

2

"Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you."

3

So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD'S bidding. Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took three days to go through it.

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¹ Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day's walk announcing, "Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,"

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when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.

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When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes.

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Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh, by decree of the king and his nobles: "Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep, shall taste anything; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water.

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² Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; every man shall turn from his evil way and from the violence he has in hand.

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Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish."

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When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.