Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Jonah, Day 2 Readings

Praying from the Depths of the Fish's Belly  

Today's reading is probably the most famous part of Jonah.  After being tossed off the boat, Jonah was swallowed by a giant fish (or whale, depending on the translation), where his life was somehow preserved.  In the belly of the fish, Jonah desperately prayed to God, asking for forgiveness.

Jonah compares falling into the ocean with falling into Sheol, the pit of nothingness that is the farthest point from God humans can imagine.  Then, he bemoans that he will not live to offer another sacrifice to God in the Temple.  At the end, God caused the fish to spit Jonah miraculously onto dry land.

Read Jonah 2:1-10  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Jonah 2 today.