Jonah 1:11

Easy-to-Read Version

The wind and the waves of the sea were becoming stronger and stronger. So the men said to Jonah, "What should we do to save ourselves? What should we do to you to make the sea calm?"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So they said to him, “What should we do to you so that the sea will calm down for us?” For the sea was getting worse and worse.

Hebrew Names Version
Then said they to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us?" For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

King James Version (1611)
Then said they vnto him, What shall we doe vnto thee, that the sea may be calme vnto vs? (for the sea wrought and was tempestuous.)

King James Version
Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

English Standard Version
Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?" For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

New American Standard Bible
So they said to him, "What should we do to you so that the sea will become calm for us?"—for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy.

New Century Version
Since the wind and the waves of the sea were becoming much stronger, they said to him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?"

Amplified Bible
Then they said to him, "What should we do to you, so that the sea will become calm for us?"—for the sea was becoming more and more violent.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then saide they vnto him, What shall we doe vnto thee, that the sea may be calme vnto vs? (for the sea wrought and was troublous)

New American Standard Bible (1995)
So they said to him, "What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?"—for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy.

Legacy Standard Bible
So they said to him, "What should we do to you that the sea may become quiet for us?"—for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy.

Berean Standard Bible
Now the sea was growing worse and worse, so they said to Jonah, "What must we do to you to calm this sea for us?"

Contemporary English Version
The storm kept getting worse, until finally the sailors asked him, "What should we do with you to make the sea calm down?"

Complete Jewish Bible
They asked him, "What should we do to you, so that the sea will be calm for us?" — for the sea was getting rougher all the time.

Darby Translation
And they said unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

George Lamsa Translation
And when he had told them everything, then they said to him, What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us? For behold, the sea continues to be more tempestuous against us.

Good News Translation
The storm was getting worse all the time, so the sailors asked him, "What should we do to you to stop the storm?"

Lexham English Bible
So they said to him, "What shall we do to you so that the sea may quiet down for us?" because the sea was growing more and more tempestuous.

Literal Translation
And they said to him, What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm from being upon us? For the sea was going on and being stormy.

American Standard Version
Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

Bible in Basic English
And they said to him, What are we to do to you so that the sea may become calm for us? For the sea was getting rougher and rougher.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then said they unto him: 'What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us?' for the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And they saide vnto him: What shal we do vnto thee, that the sea may be calme vnto vs? For the sea wrought and was troublous.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And they said to him, What shall we do to thee, that the sea may be calm to us? for the sea rose, and lifted its wave exceedingly.

English Revised Version
Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

World English Bible
Then said they to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us?" For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei seiden to hym, What schulen we do to thee, and the see schal seesse fro vs? for the see wente, and wexe greet on hem.

Update Bible Version
Then they said to him, What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us? for the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said they to him, What shall we do to thee, that the sea may be calm to us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

New English Translation
Because the storm was growing worse and worse, they said to him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?"

New King James Version
Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?"--for the sea was growing more tempestuous.

New Living Translation
And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, "What should we do to you to stop this storm?"

New Life Bible
So they said to him, "What should we do to you to make the sea quiet down for us?" For the storm was getting worse.

New Revised Standard
Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?" For the sea was growing more and more tempestuous.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said they unto him, What shall we de to thee, that the sea may cease raging over us? For, the sea, was raging more and more.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they said to him: What shall we do with thee, that the sea may be calm to us? for the sea flowed and swelled.

Revised Standard Version
Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?" For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

Young's Literal Translation
And they say unto him, `What do we do to thee that the sea may cease from us, for the sea is more and more tempestuous?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and sayde morouer vnto him: What shall we do vnto the, that the see maye ceasse from troublinge vs? (for the see wrought and was troublous)

THE MESSAGE
They said to him, "What are we going to do with you—to get rid of this storm?" By this time the sea was wild, totally out of control.

Contextual Overview

¹¹ The wind and the waves of the sea were becoming stronger and stronger. So the men said to Jonah, "What should we do to save ourselves? What should we do to you to make the sea calm?" ¹² Jonah said to the men, "I know I did wrong—that is why the storm came on the sea. So throw me into the sea, and the sea will become calm." ¹³ Instead, the men tried to row the ship back to the shore, but they couldn't do it. The wind and the waves of the sea were too strong—and they were becoming stronger and stronger. ¹⁴ So the men cried to the Lord , " Lord , please don't say we are guilty of killing an innocent man. Please don't make us die for killing him. We know you are the Lord , and you will do whatever you want." ¹⁵ So the men threw Jonah into the sea. The storm stopped, and the sea became calm. ¹⁶ When the men saw this, they began to fear and respect the Lord . They offered a sacrifice and made special promises to the Lord . ¹⁷ When Jonah fell into the sea, the Lord chose a very big fish to swallow Jonah. He was in the stomach of the fish for three days and three nights.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

What: 1 Samuel 6:2, 1 Samuel 6:3, 2 Samuel 21:1-6, 2 Samuel 24:11-13, Micah 6:6, Micah 6:7

calm unto us: Heb. silent from us. wrought, and was tempestuous. or, grew more and more tempestuous. Heb. went and was, etc.

Reciprocal: Psalms 37:7 - Rest in Acts 27:20 - and no

Cross-References

Genesis 1:9
Then God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered together so that the dry land will appear." And it happened.

Genesis 1:13
There was evening, and then there was morning. This was the third day.

Genesis 1:14
Then God said, "Let there be lights in the sky. These lights will separate the days from the nights. They will be used for signs to show when special meetings begin and to show the days and years.

Genesis 1:16
So God made the two large lights. He made the larger light to rule during the day and the smaller light to rule during the night. He also made the stars.

Genesis 1:17
God put these lights in the sky to shine on the earth.

Genesis 1:20
Then God said, "Let the water be filled with many living things, and let there be birds to fly in the air over the earth."

Genesis 1:29
God said, "I am giving you all the grain bearing plants and all the fruit trees. These trees make fruit with seeds in it. This grain and fruit will be your food.

Genesis 2:5
This was before there were plants on the earth. Nothing was growing in the fields because the Lord God had not yet made it rain on the earth, and there was no one to care for the plants.

Genesis 2:9
Then the Lord God caused all the beautiful trees that were good for food to grow in the garden. In the middle of the garden, he put the tree of life and the tree that gives knowledge about good and evil.

Genesis 2:16
The Lord God gave him this command: "You may eat from any tree in the garden.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said they unto him, what shall we do unto thee,.... Though, both by the lot and his own confession, they knew he was the guilty person; for whose sake this storm was; yet were unwilling to do anything to him without his will and consent, his counsel and advice; perceiving that he was a prophet of the God of the Hebrews, whom he had offended, and knew the mind and will of his God, and the nature of his offence against him, and what only would appease him they desire him to tell what they ought to do; fearing that, though they had found out the man, they should make a mistake in their manner of dealing with him, and so continue the distress they were in, or increase it; their great concern being to be rid of the storm:

that the sea may be calm unto us? or "silent" h? for the waves thereof made a hideous roaring, and lifted up themselves so high, as was terrible to behold; and dashed with such vehemence against the ship, as threatened it every moment with destruction:

(for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous); or, "it went and swelled" i; it was agitated to and fro, and was in a great ferment, and grew more and more stormy and tempestuous. Jonah's confession of his sin, and true repentance for it, were not sufficient; more must be one to appease an angry God; and what that was the sailors desired to know. These words are inserted in a parenthesis with us, as if put by the writer of the book, pointing out the reason of the men's request; but, according to Kimchi: they are their own words, giving a reason why they were so pressing upon him to know what they should do with him, "seeing the sea was going and stormy" k; or more and more stormy; which seems right.

h וישתק "ut sileat", Pagninus, Vatablus, Mercerus, Drusius; "et silebit", Montanus; "ut conticeseat", Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Burkius. i הולך וסער "ibat et intumescebat", Pagninus, Vatablus, Drusius. k "Vadeus et turbinans", Montanus "magis ac magis procellosum erat", Junius Tremellius, Piscator "inhorrescebat", Cocceius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

What shall we do unto thee? - They knew him to be a prophet; they ask him the mind of his God. The lots had marked out Jonah as the cause of the storm; Jonah had himself admitted it, and that the storm was for “his” cause, and came from “his” God . “Great was he who fled, greater He who required him. They dare not give him up; they cannot conceal him. They blame the fault; they confess their fear; they ask “him” the remedy, who was the author of the sin. If it was faulty to receive thee, what can we do, that God should not be angered? It is thine to direct; ours, to obey.”

The sea wrought and was tempestuous - , literally “was going and whirling.” It was not only increasingly tempestuous, but, like a thing alive and obeying its Master’s will, it was holding on its course, its wild waves tossing themselves, and marching on like battalions, marshalled, arrayed for the end for which they were sent, pursuing and demanding the runaway slave of God . “It was going, as it was bidden; it was going to avenge its Lord; it was going, pursuing the fugitive prophet. It was swelling every moment, and, as though the sailors were too tardy, was rising in yet greater surges, shewing that the vengeance of the Creator admitted not of delay.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jonah 1:11. What shall we do unto thee — In these poor men there was an uncommon degree of humanity and tender feeling.