The Book of Jonah in Hebrew

וַיְהִי דְּבַר־ יְהוָה אֶל־ יוֹנָה בֶן־ אֲמִתַּי לֵאמֹר׃

Now Yahweh’s word came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

קוּם לֵךְ אֶל־ נִינְוֵה הָעִיר הַגְּדוֹלָה וּקְרָא עָלֶיהָ כִּי־ עָלְתָה רָעָתָם לְפָנָי׃

“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it, for their wickedness has come up before me.”

וַיָּקָם יוֹנָה לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה מִלִּפְנֵי יְהוָה וַיֵּרֶד יָפוֹ וַיִּמְצָא אָנִיָּה בָּאָה תַרְשִׁישׁ וַיִּתֵּן שְׂכָרָהּ וַיֵּרֶד בָּהּ לָבוֹא עִמָּהֶם תַּרְשִׁישָׁה מִלִּפְנֵי יְהוָה׃

But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid its fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh.

וַיהוָה הֵטִיל רוּחַ־ גְּדוֹלָה אֶל־ הַיָּם וַיְהִי סַעַר־ גָּדוֹל בַּיָּם וְהָאֳנִיָּה חִשְּׁבָה לְהִשָּׁבֵר׃

But Yahweh sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty storm on the sea, so that the ship was likely to break up.

וַיִּירְאוּ הַמַּלָּחִים וַיִּזְעֲקוּ אִישׁ אֶל־ אֱלֹהָיו וַיָּטִלוּ אֶת־ הַכֵּלִים אֲשֶׁר בָּאֳנִיָּה אֶל־ הַיָּם לְהָקֵל מֵעֲלֵיהֶם וְיוֹנָה יָרַד אֶל־ יַרְכְּתֵי הַסְּפִינָה וַיִּשְׁכַּב וַיֵּרָדַם׃

Then the mariners were afraid, and every man cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone down into the innermost parts of the ship and he was laying down, and was fast asleep.

וַיִּקְרַב אֵלָיו רַב הַחֹבֵל וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ מַה־ לְּךָ נִרְדָּם קוּם קְרָא אֶל־ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אוּלַי יִתְעַשֵּׁת הָאֱלֹהִים לָנוּ וְלֹא נֹאבֵד׃

So the ship master came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God! Maybe your God will notice us, so that we won’t perish.”

וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל־ רֵעֵהוּ לְכוּ וְנַפִּילָה גוֹרָלוֹת וְנֵדְעָה בְּשֶׁלְּמִי הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת לָנוּ וַיַּפִּלוּ גּוֹרָלוֹת וַיִּפֹּל הַגּוֹרָל עַל־ יוֹנָה׃

They all said to each other, “Come! Let’s cast lots, that we may know who is responsible for this evil that is on us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו הַגִּידָה־ נָּא לָנוּ בַּאֲשֶׁר לְמִי־ הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת לָנוּ מַה־ מְּלַאכְתְּךָ וּמֵאַיִן תָּבוֹא מָה אַרְצֶךָ וְאֵי־ מִזֶּה עַם אָתָּה׃

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?”

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם עִבְרִי אָנֹכִי וְאֶת־ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם אֲנִי יָרֵא אֲשֶׁר־ עָשָׂה אֶת־ הַיָּם וְאֶת־ הַיַּבָּשָׁה׃

He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear Yahweh, the God of heaven, who has made the sea and the dry land.”

וַיִּירְאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים יִרְאָה גְדוֹלָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו מַה־ זֹּאת עָשִׂיתָ כִּי־ יָדְעוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים כִּי־ מִלִּפְנֵי יְהוָה הוּא בֹרֵחַ כִּי הִגִּיד לָהֶם׃

Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “What have you done?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of Yahweh, because he had told them.

וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו מַה־ נַּעֲשֶׂה לָּךְ וְיִשְׁתֹּק הַיָּם מֵעָלֵינוּ כִּי הַיָּם הוֹלֵךְ וְסֹעֵר׃

Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us?” For the sea grew more and more stormy.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם שָׂאוּנִי וַהֲטִילֻנִי אֶל־ הַיָּם וְיִשְׁתֹּק הַיָּם מֵעֲלֵיכֶם כִּי יוֹדֵעַ אָנִי כִּי בְשֶׁלִּי הַסַּעַר הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה עֲלֵיכֶם׃

He said to them, “Take me up, and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will be calm for you; for I know that because of me this great storm is on you.”

וַיַּחְתְּרוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים לְהָשִׁיב אֶל־ הַיַּבָּשָׁה וְלֹא יָכֹלוּ כִּי הַיָּם הוֹלֵךְ וְסֹעֵר עֲלֵיהֶם׃

Nevertheless the men rowed hard to get them back to the land; but they could not, for the sea grew more and more stormy against them.

וַיִּקְרְאוּ אֶל־ יְהוָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ אָנָּה יְהוָה אַל־ נָא נֹאבְדָה בְּנֶפֶשׁ הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה וְאַל־ תִּתֵּן עָלֵינוּ דָּם נָקִיא כִּי־ אַתָּה יְהוָה כַּאֲשֶׁר חָפַצְתָּ עָשִׂיתָ׃

Therefore they cried to Yahweh, and said, “We beg you, Yahweh, we beg you, don’t let us die for this man’s life, and don’t lay on us innocent blood; for you, Yahweh, have done as it pleased you.”

וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת־ יוֹנָה וַיְטִלֻהוּ אֶל־ הַיָּם וַיַּעֲמֹד הַיָּם מִזַּעְפּוֹ׃

So they took up Jonah and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased its raging.

וַיִּירְאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים יִרְאָה גְדוֹלָה אֶת־ יְהוָה וַיִּזְבְּחוּ־ זֶבַח לַיהוָה וַיִּדְּרוּ נְדָרִים׃

Then the men feared Yahweh exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice to Yahweh and made vows.

וַיְמַן יְהוָה דָּג גָּדוֹל לִבְלֹעַ אֶת־ יוֹנָה וַיְהִי יוֹנָה בִּמְעֵי הַדָּג שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה לֵילוֹת׃

Yahweh prepared a huge fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל יוֹנָה אֶל־ יְהוָה אֱלֹהָיו מִמְּעֵי הַדָּגָה׃

Then Jonah prayed to Yahweh, his God, out of the fish’s belly.

וַיֹּאמֶר קָרָאתִי מִצָּרָה לִי אֶל־ יְהוָה וַיַּעֲנֵנִי מִבֶּטֶן שְׁאוֹל שִׁוַּעְתִּי שָׁמַעְתָּ קוֹלִי׃

He said, “I called because of my affliction to Yahweh. He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried. You heard my voice.

וַתַּשְׁלִיכֵנִי מְצוּלָה בִּלְבַב יַמִּים וְנָהָר יְסֹבְבֵנִי כָּל־ מִשְׁבָּרֶיךָ וְגַלֶּיךָ עָלַי עָבָרוּ׃

For you threw me into the depths, in the heart of the seas. The flood was all around me. All your waves and your billows passed over me.

וַאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי נִגְרַשְׁתִּי מִנֶּגֶד עֵינֶיךָ אַךְ אוֹסִיף לְהַבִּיט אֶל־ הֵיכַל קָדְשֶׁךָ׃

I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’

אֲפָפוּנִי מַיִם עַד־ נֶפֶשׁ תְּהוֹם יְסֹבְבֵנִי סוּף חָבוּשׁ לְרֹאשִׁי׃

The waters surrounded me, even to the soul. The deep was around me. The weeds were wrapped around my head.

לְקִצְבֵי הָרִים יָרַדְתִּי הָאָרֶץ בְּרִחֶיהָ בַעֲדִי לְעוֹלָם וַתַּעַל מִשַּׁחַת חַיַּי יְהוָה אֱלֹהָי׃

I went down to the bottoms of the mountains. The earth barred me in forever; yet you have brought my life up from the pit, Yahweh my God.

בְּהִתְעַטֵּף עָלַי נַפְשִׁי אֶת־ יְהוָה זָכָרְתִּי וַתָּבוֹא אֵלֶיךָ תְּפִלָּתִי אֶל־ הֵיכַל קָדְשֶׁךָ׃

“When my soul fainted within me, I remembered Yahweh. My prayer came in to you, into your holy temple.

מְשַׁמְּרִים הַבְלֵי־ שָׁוְא חַסְדָּם יַעֲזֹבוּ׃

Those who regard vain idols forsake their own mercy.

וַאֲנִי בְּקוֹל תּוֹדָה אֶזְבְּחָה־ לָּךְ אֲשֶׁר נָדַרְתִּי אֲשַׁלֵּמָה יְשׁוּעָתָה לַיהוָה׃

But I will sacrifice to you with the voice of thanksgiving. I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation belongs to Yahweh.”

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה לַדָּג וַיָּקֵא אֶת־ יוֹנָה אֶל־ הַיַּבָּשָׁה׃

Then Yahweh spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah on the dry land.

וַיְהִי דְבַר־ יְהוָה אֶל־ יוֹנָה שֵׁנִית לֵאמֹר׃

Yahweh’s word came to Jonah the second time, saying,

קוּם לֵךְ אֶל־ נִינְוֵה הָעִיר הַגְּדוֹלָה וִּקְרָא אֵלֶיהָ אֶת־ הַקְּרִיאָה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי דֹּבֵר אֵלֶיךָ׃

“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I give you.”

וַיָּקָם יוֹנָה וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל־ נִינְוֶה כִּדְבַר יְהוָה וְנִינְוֵה הָיְתָה עִיר־ גְּדוֹלָה לֵאלֹהִים מַהֲלַךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים׃

So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, according to Yahweh’s word. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey across.

וַיָּחֶל יוֹנָה לָבוֹא בָעִיר מַהֲלַךְ יוֹם אֶחָד וַיִּקְרָא וַיֹּאמַר עוֹד אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְנִינְוֵה נֶהְפָּכֶת׃

Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried out, and said, “In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!”

וַיַּאֲמִינוּ אַנְשֵׁי נִינְוֵה בֵּאלֹהִים וַיִּקְרְאוּ־ צוֹם וַיִּלְבְּשׁוּ שַׂקִּים מִגְּדוֹלָם וְעַד־ קְטַנָּם׃

The people of Nineveh believed God; and they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from their greatest even to their least.

וַיִּגַּע הַדָּבָר אֶל־ מֶלֶך נִינְוֵה וַיָּקָם מִכִּסְאוֹ וַיַּעֲבֵר אַדַּרְתּוֹ מֵעָלָיו וַיְכַס שַׂק וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל־ הָאֵפֶר׃

The news reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

וַיַּזְעֵק וַיֹּאמֶר בְּנִינְוֵה מִטַּעַם הַמֶּלֶךְ וּגְדֹלָיו לֵאמֹר הָאָדָם וְהַבְּהֵמָה הַבָּקָר וְהַצֹּאן אַל־ יִטְעֲמוּ מְאוּמָה אַל־ יִרְעוּ וּמַיִם אַל־ יִשְׁתּוּ׃

He made a proclamation and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, “Let neither man nor animal, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink water;

וְיִתְכַּסּוּ שַׂקִּים הָאָדָם וְהַבְּהֵמָה וְיִקְרְאוּ אֶל־ אֱלֹהִים בְּחָזְקָה וְיָשֻׁבוּ אִישׁ מִדַּרְכּוֹ הָרָעָה וּמִן־ הֶחָמָס אֲשֶׁר בְּכַפֵּיהֶם׃

but let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and animal, and let them cry mightily to God. Yes, let them turn everyone from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.

מִי־ יוֹדֵעַ יָשׁוּב וְנִחַם הָאֱלֹהִים וְשָׁב מֵחֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ וְלֹא נֹאבֵד׃

Who knows whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?”

וַיַּרְא הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת־ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם כִּי־ שָׁבוּ מִדַּרְכָּם הָרָעָה וַיִּנָּחֶם הָאֱלֹהִים עַל־ הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר־ דִּבֶּר לַעֲשׂוֹת־ לָהֶם וְלֹא עָשָׂה׃

God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. God relented of the disaster which he said he would do to them, and he didn’t do it.

וַיֵּרַע אֶל־ יוֹנָה רָעָה גְדוֹלָה וַיִּחַר לוֹ׃

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.

וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֶל־ יְהוָה וַיֹּאמַר אָנָּה יְהוָה הֲלוֹא־ זֶה דְבָרִי עַד־ הֱיוֹתִי עַל־ אַדְמָתִי עַל־ כֵּן קִדַּמְתִּי לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה כִּי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אַתָּה אֵל־ חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב־ חֶסֶד וְנִחָם עַל־ הָרָעָה׃

He prayed to Yahweh, and said, “Please, Yahweh, wasn’t this what I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore I hurried to flee to Tarshish, for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and you relent of doing harm.

וְעַתָּה יְהוָה קַח־ נָא אֶת־ נַפְשִׁי מִמֶּנִּי כִּי טוֹב מוֹתִי מֵחַיָּי׃

Therefore now, Yahweh, take, I beg you, my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה הַהֵיטֵב חָרָה לָךְ׃

Yahweh said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

וַיֵּצֵא יוֹנָה מִן־ הָעִיר וַיֵּשֶׁב מִקֶּדֶם לָעִיר וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ שָׁם סֻכָּה וַיֵּשֶׁב תַּחְתֶּיהָ בַּצֵּל עַד אֲשֶׁר יִרְאֶה מַה־ יִּהְיֶה בָּעִיר׃

Then Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city, and there made himself a booth and sat under it in the shade, until he might see what would become of the city.

וַיְמַן יְהוָה־ אֱלֹהִים קִיקָיוֹן וַיַּעַל מֵעַל לְיוֹנָה לִהְיוֹת צֵל עַל־ רֹאשׁוֹ לְהַצִּיל לוֹ מֵרָעָתוֹ וַיִּשְׂמַח יוֹנָה עַל־ הַקִּיקָיוֹן שִׂמְחָה גְדוֹלָה׃

Yahweh God prepared a vine and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the vine.

וַיְמַן הָאֱלֹהִים תּוֹלַעַת בַּעֲלוֹת הַשַּׁחַר לַמָּחֳרָת וַתַּךְ אֶת־ הַקִּיקָיוֹן וַיִּיבָשׁ׃

But God prepared a worm at dawn the next day, and it chewed on the vine so that it withered.

וַיְהִי כִּזְרֹחַ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וַיְמַן אֱלֹהִים רוּחַ קָדִים חֲרִישִׁית וַתַּךְ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ עַל־ רֹאשׁ יוֹנָה וַיִּתְעַלָּף וַיִּשְׁאַל אֶת־ נַפְשׁוֹ לָמוּת וַיֹּאמֶר טוֹב מוֹתִי מֵחַיָּי׃

When the sun arose, God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he was faint and requested for himself that he might die. He said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל־ יוֹנָה הַהֵיטֵב חָרָה־ לְךָ עַל־ הַקִּיקָיוֹן וַיֹּאמֶר הֵיטֵב חָרָה־ לִי עַד־ מָוֶת׃

God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the vine?” He said, “I am right to be angry, even to death.”

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אַתָּה חַסְתָּ עַל־ הַקִּיקָיוֹן אֲשֶׁר לֹא־ עָמַלְתָּ בּוֹ וְלֹא גִדַּלְתּוֹ שֶׁבִּן־ לַיְלָה הָיָה וּבִן־ לַיְלָה אָבָד׃

Yahweh said, “You have been concerned for the vine, for which you have not labored, neither made it grow; which came up in a night and perished in a night.

וַאֲנִי לֹא אָחוּס עַל־ נִינְוֵה הָעִיר הַגְּדוֹלָה אֲשֶׁר יֶשׁ־ בָּהּ הַרְבֵּה מִשְׁתֵּים־ עֶשְׂרֵה רִבּוֹ אָדָם אֲשֶׁר לֹא־ יָדַע בֵּין־ יְמִינוֹ לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ וּבְהֵמָה רַבָּה׃

Shouldn’t I be concerned for Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred twenty thousand persons who can’t discern between their right hand and their left hand, and also many animals?”