Matthew Poole Commentary - Jonah 1:5 - 1:5

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Matthew Poole Commentary - Jonah 1:5 - 1:5


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:





Then, when this preternatural tempest fell-with all its violence into the sea, the mariners; passengers are not here named, who, unaccustomed to sea, might be too apprehensive of danger; but the men that were acquainted with the sea, and had seen many a tempest, and weathered many a storm,



were afraid, heartily afraid, full of apprehensions that they should be wrecked.



Cried, with loud voice and earnest petitions, as the manner of such men is, when danger awakens them to the duty they neglect whilst safe. Every man; not a man of them but feared, nor a man of them but cried out, by which it is evident it was a most dreadful storm.



Unto his god: by this it appears that the ship’s crew was a mixture of men who worshipped several gods, and every one doth now cry to the god whom he worshipped: whatever god it might be, it was not he that did raise nor could allay the tempest. Cast forth the wares that were in the ship: when prayer to their false gods doth no good, but their danger continued and threatened them with foundering in the sea, to prevent this they lighten the ship, as is usual in such cases, and cast the wares out; not as sacrifice to the god of the flea, or as repenting of piracy, by which the goods were gotten, though some conjecture so, but the text tells us it was



to lighten the ship that it may bear up its head and work with the sea better than when heavy laden.



But Jonah, the greatest weight, and only danger to ship and seamen,



was gone down into the sides of the ship; was under the hold in some cabin or other in the side of the ship, whither he went before the storm arose;



and was fast asleep; in a very deep sleep, as the word imports.