And they said, one to another, come and let us cast lots, to know for whose cause we are thus troubled. And they cast lots. And the lot fell upon Jonah.

Then were the men exceedingly afraid and said unto him, "Why didst thou so?" For they knew that he was fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

And he answered them, "Take me and cast me in to the sea, and so shall it let you be in rest: for I know it is for my sake, that this great tempest is come upon you."

And he prayed unto the LORD and said, "O LORD, was not this my saying when I was yet in my country? And therefore I hasted rather to flee to Tarshish: for I knew well enough that thou wast a merciful god, full of compassion long before thou be angry, and of great mercy and repentest when thou art come to take punishment.

Now therefore take my life from me, for I had better die than live."

And the LORD said, "Thou hast compassion on a wild vine, whereon thou bestowedest no labour nor madest it grow, which sprang up in one night and perished in another:

And should not I have compassion on Nineveh that great city, wherein there is a multitude of people, even above a hundred thousand that know not their righthand from the left, besides much cattle?"