Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.

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 its fare, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

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.

Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray you, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is your occupation? and from where come you? what is your country? and of what people are you?

And he said unto them, I am a Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who has made the sea and the dry land.

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

Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto you, that the sea may be calm for us? for the sea raged, and was tempestuous.

And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm for you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea raged, and was tempestuous against them.

Therefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech you, O LORD, we beseech you, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you.

For you had cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods surrounded me: all your billows and your waves passed over me.

For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray you, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that you are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and you relent from the destruction.

Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech you, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.

And the LORD God prepared a plant, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceedingly glad for the plant.

And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, so that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.

Then said the LORD, You have had pity on the plant, for which you have not labored, neither made it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: