IONAS the sonne of Amathi in Geth, of the tribe of Zabulon, in the reigne of Ieroboam
sonne of Ioas king of Israel, not only in wordes, but also in his person prophecied,
and prefigured Christ; as our Sauiour himself testifieth. And vnder the name of Niniue
announceth saluation to al Gentiles, that repent, and returne to God, as Niniue did.
Ionas being sent to preach in Niniue fleeth by sea, 4. a tempest
riseth; 8. wherof he being found by lotte, to be the cause; 12. is cast into the
sea, 15. and it is caulme.
1. AND the word of our Lord was made to Ionas the sonne of Amathi, saying:
2. Arise, and goe into Niniue the great citie, and preach in it: because the malice therof is ascended before me.
3. And Ionas arose, to flee into Tharsis from the face of our Lord, and he went downe into Ioppe, and found a shippe going into Tharsis: and he gaue the fare therof, & went downe into it, that he might goe with them into Tharsis from the face of our Lord.
4. But our Lord sent a great winde into the sea: and a great tempest was made in the sea, & the shippe was in danger to be broken.
5. And the mariners were afrayd, and the men cried to their god: & they threw the vessels, that were in the shippe, into the sea, that it might be lightned of them: and Ionas went downe into the inner part of the shippe, and slept a deepe sleepe.
6. And the gouerner came to him, & sayd to him: Why art thou oppressed with sleepe? Rise, inuocate thy God, if perhaps God wil thinke of vs, and we perish not.
7. And euerie one sayd to his felow: Come, and let vs cast lottes, and know why this euil is to vs. And they cast lottes, and the lot fel vpon Ionas.
8. And they sayd to him: Tel vs for whose cause this euil is to vs, what is thy worke? what is thy countrie? and whither goest thou? or of what people art thou?
9. And he sayd to them: I am an Hebrew & the Lord God of heauen I feare, which made the sea and the drie land.
10. And the men feared with great feare, and they sayd to him: Why hast thou done this? (For the men knew that he fled from the face of our Lord: because he had told them.)
11. And they sayd to him: What shal we do to thee, and the sea shal cease
from vs? because the sea went, and swelled.
12. And he sayd to them: Take me vp, and cast me into the sea, and the sea shal cease from you: for I know that for me this great tempest is vpon you.
13. And the men rowed, to returne to the land, and they were not able: because the sea went and swelled vpon them.
14. And they cried to our Lord, and sayd: We besech thee ô Lord, let vs not perish in the life of this man, and geue not vpon vs innocent bloud: because thou ô Lord, hast done as thou wouldest.
15. And they tooke Ionas, and cast him into the sea: and the sea ceased from his rage.
16. And the men feared our Lord with great feare, & immolated hostes to our Lord, and vowed vowes.