Jonah’s flight (chaper one)

EXEGESIS VERSES 11 – 12:

THE SAILOR’S APPEAL TO JONAH

~Y"ßh; qToïv.yIw> %L'ê hf,[]N:å-hm; ‘wyl'ae WrÜm.aYOw: ^WTT Jonah 1:11

`r[E)sow> %lEïAh ~Y"ßh; yKiî Wnyle_['me(
^NAS Jonah 1:11 (Revised) So they said to him, "What shall we do regarding your situation that the sea may become calm for us?"-- for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy. w + rma + la, (waw - consec. + amar - v/Qal/IPF/3/m/pl; "So they said" + el - prep. w/3/m/s/suff.; "to him") hm' + hf[ + l (mah - interr. pro. + -asah - v/Qal/IPF/1/com/pl; "What shall we do" + lamed - prep. w/2/f/s/suff.; "to/for/regarding/in reference to" w/ the suffix "your situation"; note the 2nd person feminine gender suffix; While Jonah is in view (2nd person), he is not the complete antecedent; the feminine looks back to vs.10 to the demon. adj. "zet"/"this thing or it" that has as its antecedent "the calamity/ra-ah" of vs.8; It emphasizes the situation, though recognizing the person and situation are inseparable) w + qtv + h; + ~y" (waw - conj. w/ shewa = purpose throwing the verb into the subjunctive + shataq - v/Qal/IPF/3/m/s; "that it may become calm/quiet" + yam - n/comm/m/s/abso.; "the sea") !mi + l[; (min - prep. + -al - prep. w/1/comm./pl/suff.; lit. "from upon us"; "for us") yKi + h; + ~y" (kiy - causal conj. + d.a. + yam - n/comm/m/s/abso.; "for the sea") $lh + w + r[s (halak - v/Qal/ptc/m/s/abso.; "was continually going/tidal" + waw - conj. + sa-ar - v/Qal/ptc/m/s/abso.; "continually whirling"; hence; "increasingly stormy")

JONAH’S REMEDY AND SACRIFICE

qToïv.yIw> ~Y"ëh;-la, ynIlUåyjih]w: ‘ynIWa’f' ~h,ªylea] rm,aYOæw: ^WTT Jonah 1:12

hZ<ßh; lAd±G"h; r[;S;óh; yLiêv,b. yKiä ynIa'ê [;dEäAy yKi… ~k,_yle[]me( ~Y"ßh;

`~k,(yle[]

^NAS Jonah 1:12 And he said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea. w + rma + la, (waw - consec. + -amar - v/Qal/IPF/3/m/s + el - prep. w/3/m/pl/suff.; "And he said to them") afn + w + lwj (nasha - v/Qal/Imp/m/pl. w/1/com/s/suff.; "(You all pick me up/lift up/carry" + waw - conj. + tul - v/Hiph/Imp/m/pl. w/1/com/s/suff.; "you all cause to hurl me/cast/throw") la, + h; + ~y" (el - prep. + d.a. + yam - n/com/m/s/abso.; "into the sea") Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you." w + qtv + h; + ~y" (waw - conj. + shataq - v/Qal/IPF/3/m/s; "then it will be quiet/calm" + d.a. + yam - n/com/m/s/abso.; "the sea") !mi + l[; (min - prep. + al - prep w/2/m/pl/suff.; "from upon you all/for you") yKi + [dy + ynIa] (kiy - conj. part. causal + yada- v/Qal/ptc/m/s + -aniy - pro./1/com/s; "for I am knowing") yKi + B + v, (kiy - conj.part; "that" + bet - prep. + she - prep. w/1/com/s/suff.; "by whom/on account of me") h; + r[;s; + h; + lAdG" + h; + hz< (d.a. + sa-ar - n/com/m/s/abso.; "the storm" + d.a. + gadol - adj/m/s/abso.; "the great" + d.a. + zet - adj/m/s; "this one" = this great storm") l[; (al - prep. w/2/m/pl/suff.; "upon you")

ANALYSIS VERSES 11 – 12:

1. 
   After getting a grip on their fear, the crew regains presence of mind and appeal to Jonah for advice, “So they said to him, ‘What shall we do regarding your situation that the sea may become calm for us?’”
   
2. 
   In their view, this fugitive from God must have a solution to appease God’s wrath.
   
3. 
   Some interpreters consider the crew’s emphasis as realizing that in order to appease God, they anticipate Jonah’s person as being targeted as a sacrifice for His judgment (NAS “to you”).
   
4. 
   Vs.13 mitigates against this as the sailors initially reject Jonah’s remedy to throw him into the sea.
   
5. 
   The Hebrew clearly captures their intent of question with the preposition “lamed – regarding (for) your situation”.
   
6. 
   The preposition’s 2^nd person feminine gender suffix is in reference to the calamity (feminine gender) of vss.7,8 that has been brought about in connection with Jonah.
   
7. 
   While they realize the two are inseparable, their question centers on a solution to the situation that would be beneficial to both Jonah and the crew.
   
8. 
   The crew considers their destiny tied into Jonah’s; if they can help him appease God so would they enjoy the benefit.
   
9. 
   They now depict a sense of camaraderie with Jonah and appeal to him in offering their help in any way so that the sea may become calm for all of (implied) us.
   
10. 
    As is typical with religious reversionists under energy of the flesh, they look to the efforts of men to solve their crisis rather than God.
    
11. 
    The mind-set of these types is that they can manufacture some kind of penitence (atonement) to find favor with God (relative righteousness).
    
12. 
    The urgency of question is depicted in their request in the next causal clause “for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy”.
    
13. 
    They realize time is of the essence as the conditions worsen.
    
14. 
    The phrase “increasingly stormy” is graphic in the Hebrew rendered “going (lit. walking) and whirling”.
    
15. 
    The seas are now consistently tidal and tempestuous making it almost impossible to control the craft in a determined direction.
    
16. 
    Jonah’s answer in vs.12 must have come as another shock to these men, “And he said to them, ‘Pick me up and throw me into the sea’”.
    
17. 
    Jonah pronounces a seeming death penalty upon himself.
    
18. 
    Further, he is asking the crew to assist in his death (to avoid suicide?).
    
19. 
    Again, the Hebrew language is interesting as he instructs them to literally “lift me up and cause to hurl (same verb “tul” in vss.4,5) me into the sea”.
    
20. 
    First off, Jonah does not cater to the crew’s suggestion that they can manufacture a solution of human terms to appease God.
    
21. 
    His instructions make clear that the conditions to meet God’s justice must be facilitated by determining God’s will only on His terms (though this would be lost on the sailors).
    
22. 
    That Jonah’s prescription is God’s will is validated by the end results of the storm’s abatement in vs.15.
    
23. 
    His remedy establishes the priority to separate himself from their company.
    
24. 
    This in a decisive and conclusive fashion.
    
25. 
    This illustrates the importance of separation from the cosmos in order to facilitate God’s will and now for Jonah to complete his recovery.
    
26. 
    The actions of lifting him up and causing to cast him into the sea illustrates that the crew will only find solutions to their salvation when they too follow God’s directives.
    
27. 
    As pagans, to begin this process they must start exerting their energy up towards the Lord God of heaven (seek) and volitionally surrender (the Hiphil of “throw”) to Yahweh as being the Sovereign over creation per Jonah’s witness of vs.9.
    
28. 
    He then seeks to convince them that “the sea will become calm for you”.
    
29. 
    The evidence of Jonah’s remedy in illustration too will be validated as the crew ultimately will look to God (vs.14) and revere God as Sovereign (vs.16) sparking volition as potential seekers.
    
30. 
    If the crew will follow his directions, the result will be that God will withdraw His temporal wrath and by illustration spiritually lead to deliverance from eternal wrath.
    
31. 
    Even though generally overlooked, Jonah here prophesies what the outcome would be if they cast him into the watery grave.
    
32. 
    Jonah then openly declares his guilt, “for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you”.
    
33. 
    Jonah fully accepts his responsibility for the situation that has entangled the crew.
    
34. 
    This to put them on notice and illustrate that each individual must account for their own actions before God.
    
35. 
    Yet, he seeks to assure them that in this particular case, they are innocent of any wrong doing.
    
36. 
    This to illustrate that all are at the mercy of God no matter human virtue or guilt. Cp.Isa.64:6
    
37. 
    In his witness he now thinks of the well being of others, not his own selfish motives.
    
38. 
    His tone is one that calmly states his willingness to accept his medicine.
    
39. 
    There are stark contrasts between interpreters regarding Jonah’s motivations at this point.
    
40. 
    Some see him as courageous and selfless, others as fatalistic and selfish.
    
41. 
    The former stems from his seeming willingness to sacrifice himself for the crew.
    
42. 
    The latter from the fact that death resolves his dilemma from not wanting to go to Nineveh.
    
43. 
    Both views have merit.
    
44. 
    The key to unravel this seeming paradox is seen in the fact that it was indeed God’s will for Jonah to have himself thrown overboard.
    
45. 
    Aside from conjecture, that the sea becomes calm immediately after the fact (vs.15) validates God’s approval (Jonah spoke the truth; he articulated God’s directive will for himself and the crew).
    
46. 
    It is God’s immediate will for Jonah to relinquish control over his life in order to save the crew, no matter future determinations regarding Nineveh.
    
47. 
    This begins the first step of Jonah’s lesson in this ordeal.
    
48. 
    The believer must surrender his life to God’s will allowing God to determine where grace or judgment is to be applied based on His sovereignty, not based on one’s own standards.
    
49. 
    A lesson that will conclude this book (4:10-11).
    
50. 
    How Jonah comes to grips that this is God’s will is open to interpretation.
    
51. 
    The most natural is through deductive reasoning that God is going to now kill him for his rebellion and he did not want innocent blood on his hands by taking the crew down with him.
    
52. 
    This strongly suggests he is in fellowship and the prophetic conclusion of a calmed sea would be a natural result of the function of his gift.
    
53. 
    He is otherwise convinced that God will spare the crew.
    
54. 
    Jonah correctly concludes that if he sacrifices himself on behalf of others, God’s wrath will be satiated.
    
55. 
    The rational believer does not want the guilt of others having to pay for his own sins.
    
56. 
    As a prophet it was no great mystery what frequently happened to those that rebelled against God…they died.
    
57. 
    Jonah is now resigned to the prospect of death for his rebellion against God.
    
58. 
    At this point, there is no way he could ascertain what God’s intentions are other than to kill him.
    
59. 
    Some ask, “Why didn’t Jonah just pray and ask for God’s mercy?”
    
60. 
    Could it be that Jonah realizes his guilt and does not consider himself deserving of grace?
    
61. 
    After all, he wasn’t willing to apply grace to the Assyrians!
    
62. 
    He is convinced that this is the price he has to pay for seeking to avoid his ministry to Nineveh and that as a foregone conclusion.
    
63. 
    And as it may be, this is all well and good as far as he is concerned. Cp.4:3
    
64. 
    However his attitude concerning life and Nineveh, these things are moot in the scheme of the moment.
    
65. 
    At the moment, he is freely fulfilling God’s will.
    
66. 
    His actions to save the crew with admission of guilt and willingness to sacrifice for others, favors a believer in fellowship.
    
67. 
    Jonah knowing only the obvious that it is God’s will to be thrown overboard is now right before God.
    
68. 
    Nineveh is moot at this point in the complexity of the scene that if God has to kill him to save the crew, what else can he do?
    
69. 
    Any fatalistic or self-serving appearances aside.
    
70. 
    This doesn’t mean that Jonah has coughed up his bad attitude towards Nineveh.
    
71. 
    In fact he maintains a pee-poor attitude even after completing his mission (chptr.4).
    
72. 
    But he is now ready and willing to execute God’s plan for his life under the present circumstances.
    
73. 
    If God does kill him completing his course, that is God’s business.
    
74. 
    Even so, Jonah ends his life doing God’s will.
    
75. 
    Jonah’s situation goes to show that when a believer makes spiritual recovery, they are immediately reinstated to God’s service.
    
76. 
    In spite of the fact that Jonah has really screwed up, he has now become an instrument for evangelizing the crew based on his spiritual awakening and willingness to do what is right before God.
    
77. 
    The future will take care of itself; the issue now for Jonah is to fulfill God’s directive for the present.
    
78. 
    His present application should be construed as action with honor.
    
79. 
    Even though it is the end result of DD.
    
80. 
    The fact is God lifts His anger and delivers Jonah from death, though Jonah must experience the full course of his discipline.
    
81. 
    This again speaks loudly that Jonah has made recovery and now is primed to fulfill his ministry if a 2^nd opportunity is provided (he now has a grip on his STA).
    
82. 
    Principle: Believers might royally mess up in life and continue to maintain problem areas but with restored fellowship can continue with the revised course of life in fulfillment of God’s will.
    
83. 
    Principle: The revised course often includes riding out any discipline brought about by their previous failures.
    
84. 
    Jonah’s spiritual status should not be based on lingering problems, but willingness to apply under the present reality.
    
85. 
    Jonah has pulled his bacon out of the fire in the last moments, not totally unlike Samson. Cp.Jud.16:28-31
    
86. 
    Principle: So for the +V believer willing to pull in their STA horns.
    
87. 
    If this be God’s will to loose his life, he is ready and willing to accept the judgment with application to that end.
    
88. 
    Fatalistic and selfish or courageous and selfless? It appears his motivation was to apply God’s will for his life based on the reasoned will of God at the time.
    
89. 
    Principle: +V believers struggle with their STA yet are able to get in FHS and fulfill God’s plan no matter persistent STA problems.
    
90. 
    The reality of Jonah’s spiritual recovery is the hammered nail in the lesson of grace that when volition decides to apply BD, God’s grace is sufficient.
    
91. 
    Hence as is for Jonah, so for the Ninevites.