SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:2
Y dijo: Clamé de mi tribulación al SEÑOR, Y él me oyó; Del vientre del infierno clamé, Y mi voz oíste.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Jonah 2:2
Verse 2. Out of the belly of hell] Among the Hebrews lwa sheol means the grave, any deep pit, the place of separate spirits, &c. Here the prophet represents himself as in the bottom of the sea; for so sheol must be understood in this place.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 2. And said , etc.] Not unto the Lord in prayer, but to others, to whom he communicated what passed between God and him in this time of distress; how he prayed to him, and was heard by him; what a condition he had been in, and how he was delivered out of it; what was his frame of mind while in it, sometimes despairing, and sometimes hoping; and how thankful he was for this salvation, and was determined to praise the Lord for it: I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me ; or, “out of my strait” f49 ; being straitened in his body, and as it were in a prison in the fish’s belly; and straitened in his soul, being between hope and despair, and under the apprehensions of the divine displeasure. A time of affliction is a time for prayer; it brings those to it that have disused it; it made Jonah cry to his God, if not with a loud voice, yet inwardly; and his cry was powerful and piercing, it reached the heavens, and entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts, though out of the depths, and out of the belly of a fish, in the midst of the sea: out of the belly of hell cried I, [and] thou heardest my voice ; or, “out of the belly of the grave” f50 ; out of the midst of it; that is, out of the belly of the fish, which was as a grave to him, as Jarchi observes; where he lay as out of the land of the living, as one dead, and being given up for dead: and it may also respect the frame of his mind, the horror and terror lie was in, arising from a sense of his sins, and the apprehensions he had of the wrath of God, which were as a hell in his conscience; and amidst all this he cried to God, and he heard him; and not only delivered him from he fish’s belly, but from those dreadful apprehensions he had of his state and condition; and spoke peace and pardon to him. This is a proof that this prayer or thanksgiving be it called which it will, was composed, as to the form and order of it, after his deliverance; and these words are an appeal to God for the truth of what he had said in the preceding clause, and not a repetition of it in prayer; or expressing the same thing in different words.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - Observe when Jonah prayed. When he was in trouble, under the tokens of God's displeasure against him for sin: when we are in affliction we must pray. Being kept alive by miracle, he prayed. A sense of God' good-will to us, notwithstanding our offences, opens the lips in prayer, which were closed with the dread of wrath. Also, where he prayed; in the belly of the fish. No place is amiss for prayer. Men ma shut us from communion with one another, but not from communion with God. To whom he prayed; to the Lord his God. This encourages eve backsliders to return. What his prayer was. This seems to relate his experience and reflections, then and afterwards, rather than to be the form or substance of his prayer. Jonah reflects on the earnestness of his prayer, and God's readiness to hear and answer. If we would ge good by our troubles, we must notice the hand of God in them. He ha wickedly fled from the presence of the Lord, who might justly take his Holy Spirit from him, never to visit him more. Those only ar miserable, whom God will no longer own and favour. But though he wa perplexed, yet not in despair. Jonah reflects on the favour of God to him, when he sought to God, and trusted in him in his distress. He warns others, and tells them to keep close to God. Those who forsak their own duty, forsake their own mercy; those who run away from the work of their place and day, run away from the comfort of it. As far a a believer copies those who observe lying vanities, he forsakes his ow mercy, and lives below his privileges. But Jonah's experienc encourages others, in all ages, to trust in God, as the God of salvation.
Original Hebrew
ויאמר 559 קראתי 7121 מצרה 6869 לי אל 413 יהוה 3068 ויענני 6030 מבטן 990 שׁאול 7585 שׁועתי 7768 שׁמעת 8085 קולי׃ 6963
