Jonah 1:6

So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

So the shipmaster {H7227}{H2259} came {H7126} to him, and said {H559} unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper {H7290}? arise {H6965}, call {H7121} upon thy God {H430}, if so be that God {H430} will think {H6245} upon us, that we perish {H6} not.

The ship's captain found him and said to him, "What do you mean by sleeping? Get up! Call on your god! Maybe the god will remember us, and we won't die."

The captain approached him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call upon your God. Perhaps this God will consider us, so that we may not perish.”

So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

Jonah 1:6 captures a pivotal moment in the prophet Jonah's ill-fated voyage, highlighting the stark contrast between his spiritual slumber and the desperation of the pagan shipmaster during a furious storm. This verse sets the stage for Jonah's eventual confrontation with his disobedience and God's sovereign plan.

Context

This verse occurs amidst a violent storm, divinely sent to thwart Jonah's attempt to flee God's command to preach to Nineveh (Jonah 1:2). While the pagan sailors are crying out to their respective deities and desperately trying to lighten the ship (Jonah 1:5), Jonah, the prophet of the true God, is found asleep in the ship's hold, seemingly oblivious to the crisis. The shipmaster, in his desperation, seeks out Jonah, hoping his God might intervene.

Key Themes

  • The Irony of Faith: Perhaps the most striking theme is the stark contrast between the pagan shipmaster's spiritual urgency and the prophet Jonah's deep spiritual slumber. While the ungodly are crying out to their gods, the man of God is asleep, fleeing his divine mission. This highlights a profound irony: sometimes those outside the covenant show more spiritual earnestness than those within it.
  • The Power of Prayer: The shipmaster's plea, "call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not," underscores a fundamental human understanding that a higher power can intervene in desperate circumstances. Though a pagan, he instinctively recognized the potential of Jonah's God to save them, an idea that later leads to the sailors' genuine fear of and sacrifice to the Lord (Jonah 1:16).
  • Divine Sovereignty in Crisis: Even in this moment of chaos, God's hand is evident. The storm was sent by Him (Jonah 1:4), and He uses the pagan shipmaster to awaken His prophet, setting the stage for Jonah's eventual confession and deliverance. God's purpose cannot be thwarted by human disobedience.

Linguistic Insights

The shipmaster's use of "sleeper" (Hebrew: radem) is particularly poignant. It denotes a deep, heavy sleep, suggesting not just physical unconsciousness but perhaps also a spiritual lethargy or disengagement from the dire reality. This rebuke from a pagan highlights Jonah's profound disconnect from his prophetic duty and the immediate danger, serving as a powerful metaphor for spiritual apathy.

Practical Application

Jonah 1:6 serves as a powerful reminder for believers today: Are we spiritually awake and engaged with God's will, or are we "asleep" when we should be praying, serving, or witnessing? This verse challenges us to consider if our own spiritual apathy might be hindering God's work or putting others in peril. It also reminds us that God can use unexpected individuals, even those outside the faith, to prompt His people towards obedience and prayer. It encourages us to pray fervently in times of trouble, recognizing that God hears and can intervene. Furthermore, it underscores the universal human need for divine intervention, inviting us to share the hope found in the true God with those who are desperately seeking answers.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jonah 3:9

    Who can tell [if] God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

  • 2 Samuel 12:22

    And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell [whether] GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?

  • Psalms 107:28

    Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

  • Psalms 107:29

    He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

  • Mark 4:37

    And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

  • Mark 4:41

    And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

  • Psalms 107:12

    Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and [there was] none to help.

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