Jon 1:5-11 | MHM | STEP | v. 5 : Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. The sailors were terrified by the storm. Each one prayed to his own god, showing their desperation. They threw cargo overboard to try to save the ship. Meanwhile, Jonah was down below, sleeping deeply, unaware or unconcerned about the danger he had brought on everyone. This shows how sin can make us insensitive to the trouble we cause others .

‏ Jonah 1:5-11

v. 5: Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. The sailors were terrified by the storm. Each one prayed to his own god, showing their desperation. They threw cargo overboard to try to save the ship. Meanwhile, Jonah was down below, sleeping deeply, unaware or unconcerned about the danger he had brought on everyone. This shows how sin can make us insensitive to the trouble we cause others .

v. 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. The captain found Jonah sleeping and woke him up, urging him to pray to his God for help. Even the pagan sailors recognized the need to seek divine help in a crisis. It is a shame when believers need to be reminded by unbelievers to pray .

v. 7: And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. The sailors decided to cast lots (a kind of drawing straws) to find out who was responsible for the storm. The lot pointed to Jonah, making it clear that he was the cause of their trouble. God used this method to reveal Jonah’s guilt .

v. 8: Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou? The sailors questioned Jonah, wanting to know about his background and why he brought this disaster on them. They wanted to understand what he had done to cause such a severe storm .

v. 9: And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. Jonah confessed that he was a Hebrew and worshipped the Lord, the God who created everything, including the sea and the land. This was a powerful admission, showing that the very God who sent the storm was the one Jonah claimed to serve .

v. 10: 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. The sailors became even more frightened when they realized that Jonah was running from the God who controls the sea. They questioned Jonah’s actions and saw the seriousness of his disobedience .

The Prophet Confesses His Folly; The Prophet Reads His Own Doom; The Prophet Cast into the Sea; Jonah's Preservation in the Fish's Belly

This section describes what happened to Jonah when he was on the ship during a terrible storm. The sailors recognized that Jonah was the cause of their trouble, but simply knowing this was not enough to calm the sea. They realized that more action was needed; just identifying the problem does not fix it. If we do not leave our sin behind, troubles may only get worse.

v. 11: The sailors asked Jonah what they should do with him so that the sea would become calm. They recognized him as a prophet and showed him respect, not wanting to harm him unnecessarily. They wanted to find out if there was another way to save themselves. This is an example of how we should treat others kindly, especially when they are sorry for what they have done wrong. The sailors were looking for a solution, asking Jonah what must be done to end the storm.