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GOD appeared
to Jonah, a loyal Hebrew, and asked him to go to Nineveh, to warn the people
of that great city against their wickedness. But Jonah did not want to
go, and took passage on a ship instead.
The Lord
was angry, and sent a great tempest, so that the ship was tossed and beaten
by waves.
The sailors
drew lots, to see who was the cause of the evil, and the lot fell to Jonah.
He explained that he was fleeing from the Lord, and told them to cast him
overboard, so that the sea would be calm.
The men
did not like to do this, and tried to bring the boat to land safely, but
they could not. At last they cast Jonah into the sea, and the winds became
quiet and the waters were calm again.
The Lord
had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. Jonah was inside the fish
three days and three nights. He prayed to God and promised to do his bidding
in the future. Then God spoke to the fish, and it set Jonah safely up on
the dry land.
Then the
Lord asked Jonah a second time to go to Nineveh to preach to the people.It
was a long three-days' journey, but Jonah did not hesitate. He preached
so earnestly that the people of Nineveh repented, and the city was saved. |
