Jonah 1:10

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

Complete Jewish Bible:

At this the men grew very afraid and said to him, "What is this that you have done?" For the men knew he was trying to get away from ADONAI, since he had told them.

Berean Standard Bible:

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

American Standard Version:

Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, What is this that thou hast done? For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of Jehovah, because he had told them.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Then were the men{H582} exceedingly{H1419}{H3374} afraid{H3372}, and said{H559} unto him, Why hast thou done{H6213} this? For the men{H582} knew{H3045} that he fled{H1272} from the presence{H6440} of the LORD{H3068}, because he had told{H5046} them.

Cross-References (KJV):

Jonah 1:3

  • But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

Job 27:22

  • For [God] shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.

2 Samuel 24:3

  • And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see [it]: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?

Daniel 5:6

  • Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

Daniel 5:9

  • Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.

Joshua 7:25

  • And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.

John 19:8

  • When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;

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Commentary for Jonah 1:10

Jonah 1:10 is a verse set within the context of the broader narrative of the Book of Jonah, which is part of the Nevi'im (Prophets) in the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament in Christianity. This particular verse captures a moment of intense fear and realization among the sailors on the ship that Jonah has boarded in his attempt to flee from God's command to prophesy to the city of Nineveh.

In the verse, the sailors express their terror and confront Jonah directly, asking why he has brought this calamity upon them. The source of their fear is a violent storm that has arisen, which they understand to be a divine response to Jonah's disobedience. The men are aware that Jonah is on the run from "the presence of the LORD," a phrase that underscores the personal and immediate nature of God's presence and authority in the worldview of the time. Jonah had previously revealed to them his identity as a Hebrew and his attempt to escape from God's mission, which is why they now connect the dots between his actions and their perilous situation.

The themes present in this verse include the sovereignty of God over nature and human affairs, the consequences of disobedience, and the fear of the divine. It also touches on the idea of divine pursuit—that one cannot simply run away from the responsibilities or calls that God places on an individual's life. Historically, the story of Jonah would have been understood against the backdrop of ancient Near Eastern maritime culture and the religious beliefs of the time, which often included the notion that deities could influence the natural world, particularly the sea, which was seen as a place of chaos and danger. The verse reflects the ancient understanding that the gods (or God) were actively involved in the world and that humans were subject to their will and judgment.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

  1. Strong's Number: H582
    There are 648 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֱנוֹשׁ
    Transliteration: ʼĕnôwsh
    Pronunciation: en-oshe'
    Description: from אָנַשׁ; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified אָדָם); hence,; a man in general (singly or collectively); another, [idiom] (blood-) thirsty, certain, chap(-man); divers, fellow, [idiom] in the flower of their age, husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some ([idiom] of them), [phrase] stranger, those, [phrase] their trade. It is often unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in apposition with another word. Compare אִישׁ.
  2. Strong's Number: H1419
    There are 499 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: גָּדוֹל
    Transliteration: gâdôwl
    Pronunciation: gaw-dole'
    Description: or גָּדֹל; (shortened) from גָּדַל; great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent; [phrase] aloud, elder(-est), [phrase] exceeding(-ly), [phrase] far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, [idiom] sore, ([idiom]) very.
  3. Strong's Number: H3374
    There are 45 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יִרְאָה
    Transliteration: yirʼâh
    Pronunciation: yir-aw'
    Description: feminine of יָרֵא; fear (also used as infinitive); morally, reverence; [idiom] dreadful, [idiom] exceedingly, fear(-fulness).
  4. Strong's Number: H3372
    There are 305 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָרֵא
    Transliteration: yârêʼ
    Pronunciation: yaw-ray'
    Description: a primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to frighten; affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), [idiom] see, terrible (act, -ness, thing).
  5. Strong's Number: H559
    There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אָמַר
    Transliteration: ʼâmar
    Pronunciation: aw-mar'
    Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
  6. Strong's Number: H6213
    There are 2286 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: עָשָׂה
    Transliteration: ʻâsâh
    Pronunciation: aw-saw'
    Description: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use.
  7. Strong's Number: H3045
    There are 873 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָדַע
    Transliteration: yâdaʻ
    Pronunciation: yaw-dah'
    Description: a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.); acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, [phrase] be learned, [phrase] lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, [idiom] prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), [idiom] will be, wist, wit, wot.
  8. Strong's Number: H1272
    There are 64 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בָּרַח
    Transliteration: bârach
    Pronunciation: baw-rakh'
    Description: a primitive root; to bolt, i.e. figuratively, to flee suddenly; chase (away); drive away, fain, flee (away), put to flight, make haste, reach, run away, shoot.
  9. Strong's Number: H6440
    There are 1890 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: פָּנִים
    Transliteration: pânîym
    Pronunciation: paw-neem'
    Description: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from פָּנָה); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.); [phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, [idiom] him(-self), [phrase] honourable, [phrase] impudent, [phrase] in, it, look(-eth) (-s), [idiom] me, [phrase] meet, [idiom] more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), [idiom] on, open, [phrase] out of, over against, the partial, person, [phrase] please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, [phrase] regard, right forth, [phrase] serve, [idiom] shewbread, sight, state, straight, [phrase] street, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them(-selves), through ([phrase] -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), [phrase] upon, upside ([phrase] down), with(-in, [phrase] -stand), [idiom] ye, [idiom] you.
  10. Strong's Number: H3068
    There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יְהֹוָה
    Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
    Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
    Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
  11. Strong's Number: H5046
    There are 344 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: נָגַד
    Transliteration: nâgad
    Pronunciation: naw-gad'
    Description: a primitive root; properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praise; bewray, [idiom] certainly, certify, declare(-ing), denounce, expound, [idiom] fully, messenger, plainly, profess, rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, [idiom] surely, tell, utter.