Jonah 1:11

11Because the storm was growing worse and worse,
Heb “the sea was walking and storming.” The two participles הוֹלֵךְ וְסֹעֵר (holekh vesoer, “walking and storming”) form an idiom that means “the storm was growing worse and worse.” When the participle הוֹלֵךְ precedes another participle with vav, it often denotes the idea of “growing, increasing” (BDB 233 s.v. הָלַךְ 4.d; e.g., Exod 19:19; 1 Sam 2:26; 2 Sam 3:1; 15:12; 2 Chr 17:12; Esth 9:4; Prov 4:18; Eccl 1:6). For example, “the power of David grew stronger and stronger (הֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק, holek vekhazeq; “was walking and becoming strong”), while the dynasty of Saul grew weaker and weaker (הֹלְכִים וְדַלִּים, holekhim vedallim; “was walking and becoming weak”)” (2 Sam 3:1; see IBHS 625–26 #37.6d).
they said to him, “What should we do to you to make
The vav-consecutive prefixed to the imperfect/prefixed conjugation verb וְיִשְׁתֹּק (veyishtoq, “to quiet”) denotes purpose/result (see IBHS 638–40 #38.3), translated here by the English infinitive.
the sea calm down
Heb “become quiet for us”; NRSV “may quiet down for us.”
for us?”
Copyright information for NETfull