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We left Jonah in the belly of the fish, and had reason to think we should hear no more of him, that if he were not destroyed by the waters of the sea he would be consumed in the bowels of that leviathan, "out of whose mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire, and whose breath kindles coals," Job 41:19,21. But God brings his people through fire, and through water (Ps 66:12); and by his power, behold, Jonah the prophet is yet alive, and is heard of again. In this chapter God hears from him, for we find him praying; in the next Nineveh hears from him, for we find him preaching. In his prayer we have, I. The great distress and danger he was in, Jon 2:2,3,5,6. II. The despair he was thereby almost reduced to, Jon 2:4. III. The encouragement he took to himself, in this deplorable condition, Jon 2:4,7. IV. The assurance he had of God's favour to him, Jon 2:6,7. V. The warning and instruction he gives to others, Jon 2:8. VI. The praise and glory of all given to God, Jon 2:9. In the Jon 2:10 we have Jonah's deliverance out of the belly of the fish, and his coming safe and sound upon dry land again.
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Jonah's Prayer; The Prophet in the Fish's Belly (840 BC)
约拿的祷告；先知在鱼腹中（主前 840 年）
¹ 约拿在鱼腹中祷告耶和华他的神， ² 说：我遭遇患难求告耶和华，你就应允我；从阴间的深处呼求，你就俯听我的声音。 ³ 你将我投下深渊，海的当中；大水环绕我；你的波浪洪涛都漫过我身。 ⁴ 我说：我从你眼前虽然被驱逐，我仍要仰望你的圣殿。 ⁵ 诸水环绕我，几乎淹没我；深渊围住我，海草缠绕我的头。 ⁶ 我下到山根，地门将我永远关住。耶和华我的神啊，你却将我的性命从坑中救出来。 ⁷ 我心在我里面发昏的时候，我就想念耶和华；我的祷告进入你的圣殿，达到你面前。 ⁸ 那信奉虚无之神的人，离弃怜爱他们的主。 ⁹ 但我必用感谢的声音献祭与你；我所许的愿，我必偿还。救恩出于耶和华。
神与他的仆人约拿曾在怒中分离，争端起于约拿一方；他逃离本国，为要越过他的工；但我们盼望看见他们再度同在，和好则始于神的一方。在前一章末了，我们看见神以怜悯之道归回约拿——救赎他免于下坑，因已寻得赎价；在本章我们看见约拿以本分之道归回神；在前章他受召向他的神祷告，但我们未被告知他如此行了；无论如何，如今他终于被引到这地步。在此当注意——
I. 他何时祷告（拿2:1）：那时约拿祷告——当他处于患难之中，在罪的自觉之下、在神为罪向他发作不悦的记号之下，那时他祷告。注意，当我们在苦难之中必须祷告；那时我们有事当祷告，在施恩座前有差事有要务；那时我们若有任何时候，必有祷告的意向——当心谦卑、柔软、变为认真之时；那时神也期望如此（他们在急难的时候必切切寻求我）；并且，虽然我们的苦难因我们的罪而自招，我们若以谦卑与敬虔的诚实祷告，便必在施恩座前蒙悦纳，正如约拿那样。那时——当他处于有指望得解救的路上，因神迹得以存活，明明表示他是为更大的怜悯而存留，那时他祷告。对神善待我们的善意的体会——尽管我们得罪他——使我们放胆亲近他，开启那因罪疚与惧怕震怒而闭塞的祷告之口。
II. 他在何处祷告——在鱼腹中。没有一处不适合祷告。我愿男人随处祷告。无论神将我们抛在何处，只要不是我们自己的过错，我们都能找到通往天上的路。天下处处通往诸天之路同等。心中有基督因信居住之人，无论往何处都带着那使礼物成圣的祭坛同去，他自己就是活的殿。约拿此时被囚禁；鱼腹是他的牢狱，对他而言是密闭幽暗的地牢；然而他在那里得以自由地亲近神，得以在与他相交中自由而行。人可以将我们彼此的交通隔绝，却不能将我们与神的交通隔绝。约拿如今在海底，然而从深处他向神呼求；如保罗和西拉在监里、在木狗中祷告。
III. 他向谁祷告——向耶和华他的神。他曾逃避神，如今他看见其愚妄，归回他；藉着祷告，他亲近他所远离的神，定意使心就近他。在祷告中，他不仅以他为耶和华，更以他为他的神——与他立约的神；因为感谢神，恩约中的每一过犯并不将我们逐出恩约。这鼓励甚至退后的儿女归回。耶3:22，看哪，我们归向你，因为你是耶和华我们的神。
IV. 他的祷告如何。他事后追忆其要旨，留于记录。他回顾自己在患难危险之中向神的心之活动，以及那时他胸中信心与感觉、盼望与惧怕之间的争战。
1. 他回顾他祷告的恳切，以及神的乐意垂听应允（拿2:2）：他说，我遭遇患难求告耶和华。注意，许多在兴盛之时根本不祷告、或只低声私语的人，在苦难之中被引到祷告——不，被引到哀求——因他们的患难；正是为此患难被差来，若此目的未达，便属徒然。那些被神捆绑时不哀求的人，是为自己积聚忿怒（伯36:13）。"从阴间和坟墓的深处呼求。"鱼可称为坟墓，而作为约拿因悖逆而被定、在其中服在神震怒之下的牢狱，它可称为阴间之腹。这位好人被投入那里，然而他从那里呼求神，并非徒然；神听了他——听了他苦难的声音、他恳求的声音。在来世有一个阴间，从其中不能以任何蒙垂听的盼望向神呼求；但无论我们在今世在其中的任何阴间，我们都可以从其中向神呼求。当基督如约拿一般三天三夜在坟墓之中，虽不像约拿那样祷告，但他之安卧那里本身即为可怜罪人向神呼求，那呼求也蒙了垂听。
2. 他回顾他在阴间之腹中时所处那极其可悲的境地——他躺在那里时对此深有感觉，并详加观察。注意，我们若要从苦难中得益，就必须留意我们的苦难，并留意其中神的手。约拿在此观察：（一）他被抛得何等之低（拿2:3）：你将我投下深渊。水手将他抛在那里；但他透过他们看见神的手将他投在那里。无论我们被抛入何等深渊，都是神将我们抛入，而那杀人的有权抛入地狱的也是他。他被投在海的当中——海的中心（原文如此），基督后来借用这希伯来语，将其应用于自己如此长久躺在地中心之中。因为死人躺在坟墓中，无论如何浅，都已与活人之地有效隔绝，如同躺在地中心一样。（二）他被围困得何等可怕：大水环绕我。海水的通道与泉源四面环绕他；对他而言总是涨潮。神亲爱的圣徒与仆人有时被苦难的洪水所环绕——那些极其猛烈暴戾、摧枯拉朽的苦难，并且源源不断地临到，如河水一般连绵相继，一灾接着一灾，如约拿报凶信的使者；他们四面被围，如教会所抱怨的（哀3:7）：他用篱笆遮蔽我，使我不能出去，也看不见当往何处逃命。你的波浪洪涛都漫过我身。 当注意，他称之为神的波浪、神的洪涛，不仅因为他造了它们（海是他的，是他造的），不仅因为他管辖它们（因为连风和海也听从他），更因为他那时已差遣它们来攻击约拿，限制它们，命定它们苦待惊吓他，却不毁灭他。这些话显然是约拿引自诗42:7——在那里，虽然译本略有不同，原文中大卫的抱怨与此处约拿所言逐字相同：你的波浪洪涛都漫过我身。 大卫以比喻、隐喻所说的话，约拿应用于自己，按字面应验了。为使我们与苦难和好，查阅先例甚为有益，好叫我们发现所临到我们的试探无非是人所共受的。若曾有人的情形是独特的、无可比拟的，那无疑是约拿的；然而令他大得满足的是，他竟发现那合神心意的人也发出同样的抱怨——神的洪涛波浪漫过他——正是他如今所不得不发的。当神为我们成就所定的事之时，我们必发现许多这样的事与他同在——甚至我们受苦之路也非未踏之途，神待我们也不外乎他素常对待那些爱他名之人之道。因此，为帮助我们在苦难之中亲近神，善用那些在我们以先的圣徒在类似情形中所用的抱怨与祷告，甚为有益。看熟悉圣经何等有益——约拿在无法使用他的圣经之时，凭记忆从圣经中为自己找到了非常贴切的处境表述：你的波浪洪涛都漫过我身。 同义的话，拿2:5：诸水环绕我，几乎淹没我——它们威胁他的性命，使之陷入紧迫的危险；或说它们在他心灵上留下印记；他看见它们是神不悦的记号，在其中全能者的可畏列阵攻击他；这达到他的灵魂，使其纷乱。这也是引自大卫的抱怨（诗69:1）：水已漫过我灵魂。 当外有争战时，内有惧怕并不为奇。约拿在鱼腹中，觉得深渊围住他——若要出其牢狱，也必在水中无可避免地灭亡。他感到海草（鱼与水一同吸入的）缠绕他的头，以致他无路自救，也无人能救他。神的百姓有时如此困惑、如此纠缠，为要学习不倚靠自己，只倚靠那叫死人复活的神（林后1:8-9）。（三）他被持守得何等牢固（拿2:6）：他下到山根——海中的磐石，海岸边的丘陵与岬角似乎就奠基其上；他躺在其中，不，他躺在其下；地门将我永远关住——如此严密地围住他，以致似乎要永远围住他。地对他如此封闭上锁、如此插闩下栓，使他完全断绝了回归其上的指望。约拿的处境看似如此无助、如此无望。凡神与之相争的人，全受造之物都与他开战。
3. 他回顾那时他几乎要对自己所下的阴暗忧郁的结论，以及他所得到的解脱（拿2:4,7）。（一）他开始陷入绝望，将自己视为已尽已失。当诸水环绕我几乎淹没我之时，难怪我心在我里面发昏——昏厥过去，以致没有任何令人安慰的享受或期望；他的精神完全崩溃，自视为死人。我说：我从你眼前虽然被驱逐——正是这体会使他的心在他里面发昏。他以为神已完全弃绝他，永不以怜悯归回，不再向他显什么恩待的记号。在他之前，没有活着从鱼腹中出来之人的先例；他若想到粪堆上的约伯、坑中的约瑟、洞中的大卫，这些也都不能与他的情形相比。除了神迹以外，也没有可见的逃生之路为他敞开；而他又有什么理由盼望，那如今被作成公义之标本的他会得着怜悯的神迹呢？他自己的良心告诉他：他曾恶念地躲避耶和华的面，所以神可以公义地将他逐出其面，并以此为记，收回他的圣灵，不再眷顾他。他对自己所行所作所招致的苦难，又能有什么解脱的盼望呢？当注意，当约拿要将自己的处境说得最坏之时，他说：我从你眼前虽然被驱逐；那些——也只有那些——是可悲的，就是被神逐出其面、不再蒙他承认与恩待的人。地狱中被定罪之人的可悲，岂不就是这吗？因为他们被逐出神的面。因为天堂的福乐，岂不就是见神、享神吗？有时神百姓在今世的处境可能如此，以致他们以为自己完全被排除于神的面前——不再见他、不再被他记念。雅各和以色列说：我的道路向耶和华隐藏，我的冤屈神也不查问（赛40:27）。锡安说：耶和华离弃了我，主忘记了我（赛49:14）。但这只是不信的猜测，因为神并未弃绝他所拣选的百姓。（二）然而他从下沉入绝望之中复原，得着一些令人安慰的解救盼望。信心纠正并约束了那惧怕与不信的猜测。此处感觉与信心之间有激烈的争战，但信心说了最后的话，成了得胜者。在试炼之时，只要我们的信心不失效，结局终必美好；因此基督为彼得所保证的，正是这信心的活力延续。我已经为你祈求，叫你的信心不至于失掉（路22:32）。大卫若不信，早就丧胆了（诗27:13）。约拿的信心说：我仍要仰望你的圣殿。 如此，他虽困惑，却不绝望；在深海之中他怀着这盼望，如同灵魂的锚——又坚固、又牢靠。他用以支持自己的盼望是：他还要仰望神的圣殿。[一] 他还要存活；他还要再望天——再看见太阳的光，尽管如今他似乎被投入全然黑暗之中。如此他在无可指望的时候，因信仍有指望。[二] 他还要存活，并赞美神；而善人不愿为别的目的而存活（诗119:175）。他还要在神圣的典章中再享受与神的相交，还要仰望圣殿、上圣殿——在那里求问，在那里瞻仰耶和华的美。希西家盼望确知自己将痊愈时，他问的是：什么兆头我可以上耶和华的殿呢？（赛38:22）——仿佛那是他惟愿得着健康的缘故；照样约拿在此盼望他还要再仰望圣殿。那方向他许多次满怀喜悦地仰望，每逢人对他说上耶和华的殿去就欢喜；这回忆成为他的安慰——当他有方便之时，他对圣殿并不陌生。但如今他连那方向也不能望；在鱼腹中他不知它何在，但他盼望他还能再望向它、望见它、望入其中。当注意约拿如何谦逊地表达自己；作为一个自觉有罪、不配的人，他不敢如大卫那样说住在神的殿中，知道自己不再配称为儿子；但他盼望可以获准望向它。他称之为圣殿，因为其圣洁在他眼中就是其美，是他所爱所望的缘由。圣殿是天上之事的预表；他对自己说，虽然如今身为被掳的远人，永不得松开、必死于坑中，然而他还要望向天上的圣殿，并安抵那里。虽然他死在鱼腹中、在海底，然而他盼望他的灵魂必被天使带到亚伯拉罕的怀里。或这些话可作为约拿在苦难中的许愿，他在拿2:9提到要偿还所许的愿；他所许的是：神若解救他，他必在锡安女子的门内赞美他（诗9:13-14）。他所犯的、神所追讨的罪，是躲避耶和华的面——其愚妄如今他已知罪，他应许不仅不再望向他施，还要再仰望圣殿，并力上加力地走到神面前。如此我们看见信心与盼望如何在他消沉的处境中作他的解救。他在此之上还加上向神的祷告（拿2:7）：我心在我里面发昏的时候，我就想念耶和华——我投奔那服心的良药。他记念他是谁——多么亲近那些似乎因苦难被抛到最远的人；多么怜悯那些似乎因罪将自己抛到最远的人。他记念他曾为他所作的、为别人所作的、所能作的、所应许要作的；这使他免于昏厥。记念神之时，他便向他倾诉：我的祷告进入你的圣殿，达到你面前——我送进去，并期待得着应允。注意，我们的苦难当使我们记念神，从而促使我们向他祷告。当我们的心发昏之时，我们必须记念神；当我们记念神之时，我们必须向他献上祷告——至少敬虔的叹息；当我们想念他的名，便当求告他的名。
4. 他回顾神在他如此在苦难中寻求他、倚靠他时所施的恩惠。（一）他恩惠地悦纳了他的祷告，予以接纳与垂听（拿2:7）：我的祷告既已送至他那里，便进入他的圣殿，达到他面前；这祷告虽在最低的深处所献，却在最高的天上蒙听。（二）他奇妙地为他成就了拯救，当他在苦难最深之处时，赐他拯救的凭据与保证（拿2:6）：耶和华我的神啊，你却将我的性命从坑中救出来！ 有人以为这是他被吐在旱地上时所说的；那么这是感恩之言，他将之与自己处境的巨大困难对照，好使神的大能在他得救时更显为大：地门将我永远关住，你却将我的性命从坑中、从坑的门闩中救出来。 或者更恰当地，我们可假定这是他仍在鱼腹中之时所说的，那么这是他信心之言："你在此坑中保全了我的性命，因此你能、你也必将我的性命从坑中带出来"；他满有把握地说这话，仿佛已成事实：你已将我的性命救出来。 他虽没有明确的拯救应许，却有拯救的凭据，他便以此自恃：他有性命，因此相信他的性命必从朽坏中被带出来；他将这把握指向神：耶和华我的神啊，你已成就了！ 你是耶和华，因此能为我成就；你是我的神，因此必成就。注意，耶和华若作我们的神，他必作我们的复活与生命，必救赎我们的性命脱离毁灭、脱离坟墓的权势。
5. 他警戒别人，指教他们紧紧跟随神（拿2:8）：那信奉虚无之神的人，离弃怜爱他们的主——即：（一）那些敬拜别神、如异教水手那样，呼求它们、指望从它们得着解救与安慰的人，离弃怜爱他们的主；他们挡了自己的道；他们背弃了自己的福乐，完全偏离一切善道。注意，偶像是虚无之神，凡将唯当归给神的敬拜归给它们的人，既违背本分，也违背自己的利益。或（二）那些随从自己私意所发明、如约拿自己躲避耶和华的面往他施去之时所行的人，离弃怜爱他们的主——他们本可在神里寻见的怜悯；他们本可有份于这怜悯，甚至对它有圣约的权利与名分，能称之为自己的，只要他们紧紧倚靠神、尽其本分。那些以为可以往任何地方脱离神眼目之人——如约拿所行；那些以为背离他的事奉可以更好之人——如约拿所行；那些嫉妒他对任何可怜罪人的怜悯、自以为比他更有智慧去判断谁配受先知之差遣、谁不配之人——如约拿所行——这些人信奉虚无之神，被愚妄无据的幻想所引诱，并如他一样离弃怜爱他们的主，从中得不到任何益处。注意，凡离弃自己本分的人，便是离弃自己的怜悯；凡逃避自己所在之地、当日的工的人，便是逃避其中的安慰。
6. 他以严肃的誓言约束自己的心——神若为他成就拯救，那施怜悯的神必作他赞美的神（拿2:9）。他与神立约：（一）他要在自己的灵修中以感谢的祭尊荣他；神曾说过——为鼓励如此行的人——那献上赞美的人便是荣耀我。他要照摩西的律法献上感谢祭，并要照本性的律法以感谢的声音献上。心中对神的爱与感恩是这本分的生命与灵魂；没有这些，感谢祭也好、感谢之声也好，都无所裨益。然而感恩在那时凭神的命定要以祭物来表达——献祭者在其中将所宰杀的牲畜呈献于神，非作自己的代替，而是作自己的记号；如今则当以感谢的声音表达——我们嘴唇的牛犊（何14:2），我们嘴唇的果子（来13:15）——说出、唱出我们神极高的赞美。约拿在此所应许的，便是要以感谢的祭记念耶和华的慈爱——为他的荣耀，也为别人的勉励。（二）他要在自己的行事为人中，以谨守遵行他在鱼腹中所许的愿来尊荣他。有人以为他所许的是某项慈善之工，或如雅各所许：你所赐给我的一切，我必将十分之一献给你。更可能的是，他所许的是：神若解救他，他必乐意往神所要差遣的任何地方去——即使是尼尼微。当我们因离弃本分而受苦之时，正是应许我们将坚守本分、丰盛其中之时。或者，感谢祭本身便是他所许的，那便是他要偿还的——如大卫所言（诗116:17-19）。
7. 他以承认神为他百姓的拯救者作结：救恩出于耶和华；它属乎耶和华（诗3:8）。他是拯救的神（诗68:19-20）。惟独他能成就拯救，无论危险与困苦何等巨大；他已将拯救应许给那信靠他的百姓。他教会整体的拯救、个别圣徒的拯救，都是他所成就的；他是信徒的救主（提前4:10）。救恩至今仍出于他，历来如此；惟独从他可望得着，我们当惟独倚赖他得之。约拿的经历要鼓励历世历代的人在神他们拯救的神里信靠他；凡读这故事的人必满有把握地说、满有惊叹地说：救恩出于耶和华——并必归于一切属他的人。
英文原文
Jonah's Prayer; The Prophet in the Fish's Belly (840 BC)
¹ Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,
² And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
³ For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.
⁴ Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.
⁵ The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
⁶ I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.
⁷ When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
⁸ They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
⁹ But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
God and his servant Jonah had parted in anger, and the quarrel began on Jonah's side; he fled from his country that he might outrun his work; but we hope to see them both together again, and the reconciliation begins on God's side. In the close of the foregoing chapter we found God returning to Jonah in a way of mercy, delivering him from going down to the pit, having found a ransom; in this chapter we find Jonah returning to God in a way of duty; he was called up in the former chapter to pray to his God, but we are not told that he did so; however, now at length he is brought to it. Now observe here,
I. When he prayed (Jon 2:1): Then Jonah prayed; then when he was in trouble, under the sense of sin and the tokens of God's displeasure against him for sin, then he prayed. Note, When we are in affliction we must pray; then we have occasion to pray, then we have errands at the throne of grace and business there; then, if ever, we shall have a disposition to pray, when the heart is humbled, and softened, and made serious; then God expects it (in their affliction they will seek me early, seek me earnestly); and, though we bring our afflictions upon ourselves by our sins, yet, if we pray in humility and godly sincerity, we shall be welcome to the throne of grace, as Jonah was. Then when he was in a hopeful way of deliverance, being preserved alive by miracle, a plain indication that he was reserved for further mercy, then he prayed. An apprehension of God's good-will to us, notwithstanding our offences, gives us boldness of access to him, and opens the lips in prayer which were closed with the sense of guilt and dread of wrath.
II. Where he prayed—in the fish's belly. No place is amiss for prayer. I will that men pray every where. Wherever God casts us we may find a way open to heaven-ward, if it be not our own fault. Undique ad cœlos tantundem est viæ—The heavens are equally accessible from every part of the earth. He that has Christ dwelling in his heart by faith, wherever he goes carries the altar along with him, that sanctifies the gift, and is himself a living temple. Jonah was here in confinement; the belly of the fish was his prison, was a close and dark dungeon to him; yet there he had freedom of access to God, and walked at liberty in communion with him. Men may shut us out from communion with one another, but not from communion with God. Jonah was now in the bottom of the sea, yet out of the depths he cries to God; as Paul and Silas prayed in the prison, in the stocks.
III. To whom he prayed—to the Lord his God. He had been fleeing from God, but now he sees the folly of it, and returns to him; by prayer he draws near to that God whom he had gone aside from, and engages his heart to approach him. In prayer he has an eye to him, not only as the Lord, but as his God, a God in covenant with him; for, thanks be to God, every transgression in the covenant does not throw us out of covenant. This encourages even backsliding children to return. Jer 3:22, Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God.
IV. What his prayer was. He afterwards recollected the substance of it, and left it upon record. He reflects upon the workings of his heart towards God when he was in his distress and danger, and the conflict that was then in his breast between faith and sense, between hope and fear.
1. He reflects upon the earnestness of his prayer, and God's readiness to hear and answer (Jon 2:2): He said, I cried, by reason of my affliction, unto the Lord. Note, Many that prayed not at all, or did but whisper prayer, when they were in prosperity, are brought to pray, nay, are brought to cry, by reason of their affliction; and it is for this end that afflictions are sent, and they are in vain if this end be not answered. Those heap up wrath who cry not when God binds them, Job 36:13. "Out of the belly of hell and the grave cried I." The fish might well be called a grave, and, as it was a prison to which Jonah was condemned for his disobedience and in which he lay under the wrath of God, it might well be called the belly of hell. Thither this good man was cast, and yet thence he cried to God, and it was not in vain; God heard him, heard the voice of his affliction, the voice of his supplication. There is a hell in the other world, out of which there is no crying to God with any hope of being heard; but, whatever hell we may be in the belly of in this world, we may thence cry to God. When Christ lay, as Jonah, three days and three nights in the grave, though he prayed not, as Jonah did, yet his very lying there cried to God for poor sinners, and the cry was heard.
2. He reflects upon the very deplorable condition that he was in when he was in the belly of hell, which, when he lay there, he was very sensible of and made particular remarks upon. Note, If we would get good by our troubles, we must take notice of our troubles, and of the hand of God in them. Jonah observes here, (1.) How low he was thrown (Jon 2:3): Thou hadst cast me into the deep. The mariners cast him there; but he looked above them, and saw the hand of God casting him there. Whatever deeps we are cast into, it is God that casts us into them, and he it is who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell. He was cast into the midst of the seas—the heart of the seas (so the word is), and thence Christ borrows that Hebrew phrase, when he applies it to his own lying so long in the heart of the earth. For he that is laid dead in the grave, though it be ever so shallow, is cut off as effectually from the land of the living as if he were laid in the heart of the earth. (2.) How terribly he was beset: The floods compassed me about. The channels and springs of the waters of the sea surrounded him on every side; it was always high-water with him. God's dear saints and servants are sometimes encompassed with the floods of affliction, with troubles that are very forcible and violent, that bear down on all before them, and that run constantly upon them, as the waters of a river in a continual succession, one trouble upon the neck of another, as Job's messengers of evil tidings; they are enclosed by them on all sides, as the church complains, La 3:7. He has hedged me about, that I cannot get out, nor see which way I may flee for safety. All thy billows and thy waves passed over me. Observe, He calls them God's billows and his waves, not only because he made them (the sea is his, and he made it), and because he rules them (for even the winds and the seas obey him), but because he had now commissioned them against Jonah, and limited them, and ordered them to afflict and terrify him, but not to destroy him. These words are plainly quoted by Jonah from Ps 42:7, where, though the translations differ a little, in the original David's complaint is the same verbatim—word for word, with this of Jonah's: All thy billows and thy waves passed over me. What David spoke figuratively and metaphorically Jonah applied to himself as literally fulfilled. For the reconciling of ourselves to our afflictions, it is good to search precedents, that we may find there has no temptation taken us but such as is common to men. If ever any man's case was singular, and not to be paralleled, surely Jonah's was, and yet, to his great satisfaction, he finds even the man after God's own heart making the same complaint of God's waves and billows going over him that he has now occasion to make. When God performs the thing that is appointed for us we shall find that many such things are with him, that even our path of trouble is no untrodden path, and that God deals with us no otherwise than as he uses to deal with those that love his name. And therefore for our assistance in our addresses to God, when we are in trouble, it is good to make use of the complaints and prayers which the saints that have been before us made use of in the like case. See how good it is to be ready in the scriptures; Jonah, when he could make no use of his Bible, by the help of his memory furnished himself from the scripture with a very proper representation of his case: All thy billows and thy waves passed over me. To the same purport, Jon 2:5, The waters compassed me about even to the soul; they threatened his life, which was hereby brought into imminent danger; or they made an impression upon his spirit; he saw them to be tokens of God's displeasure, and in them the terrors of the Almighty set themselves in array against him; this reached to his soul, and put that into confusion. And this also is borrowed from David's complaint, Ps 69:1. The waters have come in unto my soul. When without are fightings it is no marvel that within are fears. Jonah, in the fish's belly, finds the depths enclosing him round about, so that if he would get out of his prison, yet he must unavoidably perish in the waters. He feels the sea-weed (which the fish sucked in with the water) wrapped about his head, so that he has no way left him to help himself, nor hope that any one else can help him. Thus are the people of God sometimes perplexed and entangled, that they may learn not to trust in themselves, but in God that raises the dead, 2Co 1:8,9. (3.) How fast he was held (Jon 2:6): He went down to the bottom of the mountains, to the rocks in the sea, upon which the hills and promontories by the seaside seem to be bottomed; he lay among them, nay, he lay under them; the earth with her bars was about him, so close about him that it was likely to be about him for ever. The earth was so shut and locked, so barred and bolted, against him, that he was quite cut off from any hope of ever returning to it. Thus helpless, thus hopeless, did Jonah's case seem to be. Those whom God contends with the whole creation is at war with.
3. He reflects upon the very black and melancholy conclusion he was then ready to make concerning himself, and the relief he obtained against it, Jon 2:4,7. (1.) He began to sink into despair, and to give up himself for gone and undone to all intents and purposes. When the waters compassed him about even to the soul no marvel that his soul fainted within him, fainted away, so that he had not any comfortable enjoyments or expectations; his spirits quite failed, and he looked upon himself as a dead man. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight, and the apprehension of that was the thing that made his spirit faint within him. He thought God had quite forsaken him, would never return in mercy to him, nor show him any token for good again. He had no example before him of any that were brought alive out of a fish's belly; if he thought of Job upon the dunghill, Joseph in the pit, David in the cave, yet these did not come up to his case. Nor was there any visible way of escape open for him but by miracle; and what reason had he to expect that a miracle of mercy should be wrought for him who was now made a monument of justice? His own conscience told him that he had wickedly fled from the presence of the Lord, and therefore he might justly cast him away from his presence, and, in token of that, take away his Holy Spirit from him, never to visit him more. What hopes could he have of deliverance out of a trouble which his own ways and doings had procured to himself? Observe, When Jonah would say the worst he could of his case he says this, I am cast out of thy sight; those, and those only, are miserable, whom God has cast out of his sight, whom he will no longer own and favour. What is the misery of the damned in hell but this, that they are cast out of God's sight? For what is the happiness of heaven but the vision and fruition of God? Sometimes the condition of God's people may be such in this world that they may think themselves quite excluded from God's presence, so as no more to see him, or to be regarded by him. Jacob and Israel said, My way is hidden from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God, Isa 40:27. Zion said, The Lord has forsaken me, my God has forgotten me, Isa 49:14. But it is only the surmise of unbelief, for God has not cast away his people whom he has chosen. (2.) Yet he recovered himself from sinking into despair, with some comfortable prospects of deliverance. Faith corrected and controlled the surmises of fear and distrust. Here was a fierce struggle between sense and faith, but faith had the last word and came off a conqueror. In trying times, the issue will be good at last, providing our faith do not fail; it was therefore the continuance of that in its vigour that Christ secured to Peter. I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not, Lu 22:32. David would have fainted if he had not believed, Ps 27:13. Jonah's faith said, Yet I will look again towards thy holy temple. Thus, though he was perplexed, yet not in despair; in the depth of the sea he had this hope in him, as an anchor of the soul, sure and stedfast. That which he supports himself with the hope of is that he shall yet look again towards God's holy temple. [1.] That he shall live; he shall look again heaven-ward, shall again see the light of the sun, though now he seems to be cast into utter darkness. Thus against hope he believed in hope. [2.] That he shall live, and praise God; and a good man does not desire to live for any other purpose, Ps 119:175. That he shall enjoy communion with God again in holy ordinances, shall look towards, and go up to, the holy temple, there to enquire, there to behold the beauty of the Lord. When Hezekiah desired that he might be assured of his recovery, he asked, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord? (Isa 38:22), as if that were the only thing for the sake of which he wished for health; so Jonah here hopes he shall look again towards the temple; that way he had looked many a time with pleasure, rejoicing when he was called to go up to the house of the Lord; and the remembrance of it was his comfort, that, when he had opportunity, he was no stranger to the holy temple. But now he could not so much as look towards it; in the fish's belly he could not tell which way it lay, but he hopes he shall be again able to look towards it, to look on it, to look into it. Observe, How modestly Jonah expresses himself; as one conscious to himself of guilt and unworthiness, he dares not speak of dwelling in God's house, as David, knowing that he is no more worthy to be called a son, but he hopes that he may be admitted to look towards it. He calls it the holy temple, for the holiness of it was, in his eye, the beauty of it, and that for the sake of which he loved and looked towards it. The temple was a type of heaven; and he promises himself that though being now a captive exile, he should never be loosed, but die in the pit, yet he should look towards the heavenly temple, and be brought safely thither. Though he die in the fish's belly, in the bottom of the sea, yet thence he hopes his soul shall be carried by angels into Abraham's bosom. Or these words may be taken as Jonah's vow when he was in distress, and he speaks (Jon 2:9) of paying what he vowed; his vow is that if God deliver him he will praise him in the gates of the daughter of Zion, Ps 9:13,14. His sin for which God pursued him was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, the folly of which he is now convinced of, and promises not only that he will never again look towards Tarshish, but that he will again look towards the temple, and will go from strength to strength till he appear before God there. And thus we see how faith and hope were his relief in his desponding condition. To these he added prayer to God (Jon 2:7): "When my soul fainted within me, then I remembered the Lord, I betook myself to that cordial." He remembered what he is, how nigh to those that seem to be thrown at the greatest distance by trouble, how merciful to those that seem to have thrown themselves at a distance from him by sin. He remembered what he had done for him, what he had done for others, what he could do, what he had promised to do; and this kept him from fainting. Remembering God, he made his addresses to him: "My prayer came in unto thee; I sent it in, and expected to receive an answer to it." Note, Our afflictions should put us in mind of God, and thereby put us upon prayer to him. When our souls faint we must remember God; and, when we remember God, we must send up a prayer to him, a pious ejaculation at least; when we think on his name we should call on his name.
4. He reflects upon the favour of God to him when thus in his distress he sought to God and trusted him. (1.) He graciously accepted his prayer, and gave admission and audience to it (Jon 2:7): My prayer, being sent to him, came in unto him, even into his holy temple; it was heard in the highest heavens, though it was prayed in the lowest deeps. (2.) He wonderfully wrought deliverance for him, and, when he was in the depth of his misery, gave him the earnest and assurance of it (Jon 2:6): Yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God! Some think he said this when he was vomited up on dry ground; and then it is the language of thankfulness, and he sets it over-against the great difficulty of his case, that the power of God might be the more magnified in his deliverance: The earth with her bars was about me for ever, and yet thou hast brought up my life from the pit, from the bars of the pit. Or, rather, we may suppose it spoken while he was yet in the fish's belly, and then it is the language of his faith: "Thou hast kept me alive here, in the pit, and therefore thou canst, thou wilt, bring up my life from the pit;" and he speaks of it with as much assurance as if it were done already: Thou has brought up my life. Though he has not an express promise of deliverance, he has an earnest of it, and on that he depends: he has life, and therefore believes his life shall be brought up from corruption; and this assurance he addresses to God: Thou has done it, O Lord my God! Thou art the Lord, and therefore canst do it for me, my God, and therefore wilt do it. Note, If the Lord be our God, he will be to us the resurrection and the life, will redeem our lives from destruction, from the power of the grave.
5. He gives warning to others, and instructs them to keep close to God (Jon 2:8): Those that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy, that is, (1.) Those that worship other gods, as the heathen mariners did, and call upon them, and expect relief and comfort from them, forsake their own mercy; they stand in their own light; they turn their back upon their own happiness, and go quite out of the way of all good. Note, Idols are lying vanities, and those that pay that homage to them which is due to God only act as contrarily to their interests as to their duty. Or, (2.) Those that follow their own inventions, as Jonah himself had done when he fled from the presence of the Lord to go to Tarshish, forsake their own mercy, that mercy which they might find in God, and might have such a covenant-right and title to it as to be able to call it their own, if they would but keep close to God and their duty. Those that think to go any where to be from under the eye of God, as Jonah did—that think to better themselves by deserting his service, as Jonah did—and that grudge his mercy to any poor sinners, and pretend to be wiser than he in judging who are fit to have prophets sent them and who are not, as Jonah did—they observe lying vanities, are led away by foolish groundless fancies, and, like him, they forsake their own mercy, and no good can come of it. Note, Those that forsake their own duty forsake their own mercy; those that run away from the work of their place and day run away from the comfort of it.
6. He solemnly binds his soul with a bond that, if God work deliverance for him, the God of his mercies shall be the God of his praises, Jon 2:9. He covenants with God, (1.) That he will honour him in his devotions with the sacrifice of thanksgiving; and God has said, for the encouragement of those that do so, that those that offer praise glorify him. He will, according to the law of Moses, bring a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will offer that according to the law of nature, with the voice of thanksgiving. The love and thankfulness of the heart to God are the life and soul of this duty; without these neither the sacrifice of thanksgiving nor the voice of thanksgiving will avail any thing. But gratitude was then, by a divine appointment, to be expressed by a sacrifice, in which the offerer presented the beast slain to God, not in lieu of himself, but in token of himself; and it is now to be expressed by the voice of thanksgiving, the calves of our lips (Ho 14:2), the fruit of our lips (Heb 13:15), speaking forth, singing forth, the high praises of our God. This Jonah here promises, that with the sacrifice of thanksgiving he will mention the lovingkindness of the Lord, to his glory, and the encouragement of others. (2.) That he will honour him in his conversation by a punctual performance of his vows, which he made in the fish's belly. Some think it was some work of charity that he vowed, or such a vow as Jacob's was, Of all that thou hast given me I will give the tenth unto thee. More probably his vow was that if God would deliver him he would readily go wherever he should please to send him, though it were to Nineveh. When we smart for deserting our duty it is time to promise that we will adhere to it, and abound in it. Or, perhaps, the sacrifice of thanksgiving is the thing he vowed, and that is it which he will pay, as David, Ps 116:17-19.
7. He concludes with an acknowledgment of God as the Saviour of his people: Salvation is of the Lord; it belongs to the Lord, Ps 3:8. He is the God of salvation, Ps 68:19,20. He only can work salvation, and he can do it be the danger and distress ever so great; he has promised salvation to his people that trust in him. All the salvations of his church in general, and of particular saints, were wrought by him; he is the Saviour of those that believe, 1Ti 4:10. Salvation is still of him, as it has always been; from him alone it is to be expected, and on him we are to depend for it. Jonah's experience shall encourage others, in all ages, to trust in God as the God of their salvation; all that read this story shall say with assurance, say with admiration, that salvation is of the Lord, and is sure to all that belongs to him.
10
Jonah's Deliverance (840 BC)
约拿的解救（主前 840 年）
¹⁰ 耶和华吩咐鱼，鱼就把约拿吐在旱地上。
此处我们看见约拿从囚禁中获释、从那里所受死亡的威胁中得解救——他的归回，虽非归于生命（因他在鱼腹中仍活），却是归于活人之地（因为他似乎已完全与之隔绝）——他的复活，虽非从死里复活，却是从坟墓中复活；因为除约拿在鱼腹中之外，从未有人如此被活埋。他的开释可视为：第一，神掌管万有之权能的实例。神对鱼说话——命它将约拿交还，正如先前命它将他吞下。神对别的受造之物说话，事便成就；它们都是他现成而顺命的仆人。但对人，他一次、两次说话，人却不理会——不予理会，对他的话充耳不闻。注意，神有万有听命，随己意使用他们，藉他们成就自己的旨意。第二，神向可怜悔改之人在其苦难中呼求时所施怜悯的实例。约拿曾犯罪，曾行事愚妄——极其愚妄；他自己的退后并未改正他，而他后来的行为表明，他的愚妄并未全然被驱除——不，连这责罚之杖也未能做到；然而他一祷告、在神前自卑，便有自然界的神迹为他成就——以表明神收纳并款待归回之罪人，是何等恩典的神迹——白白的恩典。当神将他掌握之中，便向他施怜悯，并不永远相争。第三，基督复活的预表与影像。他死了、被葬了——如约拿一样，在坟墓中作了我们债务的囚犯三天三夜；但第三日他出来了——如约拿一样，藉他的使者传悔改与赦罪之道，甚至传给外邦人。如此另一处经文便得应验：过两天他必使我们苏醒，第三天他必使我们兴起（何6:2）。地曾震动，仿佛不堪其重负——正如鱼之不堪约拿。
英文原文
Jonah's Deliverance (840 BC)
¹⁰ And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.
We have here Jonah's discharge from his imprisonment, and his deliverance from that death which there he was threatened with—his return, though not to life, for he lived in the fish's belly, yet to the land of the living, for from that he seemed to be quite cut off—his resurrection, though not from death, yet from the grave, for surely never man was so buried alive as Jonah was in the fish's belly. His enlargement may be considered, 1. As an instance of God's power over all the creatures. God spoke to the fish, gave him orders to return him, as before he had given him orders to receive him. God speaks to other creatures, and it is done; they are all his ready obedient servants. But to man he speaks once, yea, twice, and he perceives it not, regards it not, but turns a deaf ear to what he says. Note, God has all creatures at his command, makes what use he pleases of them, and serves his own purposes by them. 2. As an instance of God's mercy to a poor penitent, that in his distress prays to him. Jonah had sinned, and had done foolishly, very foolishly; his own backslidings did not correct him, and it appears by his after-conduct that his foolishness was not quite driven from him, no, not by the rod of this correction; and yet, upon his praying, and humbling himself before God, here is a miracle in nature wrought for his deliverance, to intimate what a miracle of grace, free grace, God's reception and entertainment of returning sinners are. When God had him at his mercy he showed him mercy, and did not contend for ever. 3. As a type and figure of Christ's resurrection. He died and was buried, to lay in the grave, as Jonah did, three days and three nights, a prisoner for our debt; but the third day he came forth, as Jonah did, by his messengers to preach repentance, and remission of sins, even to the Gentiles. And thus was another scripture fulfilled, After two days he will receive us, and the third day he will raise us up, Ho 6:2. The earth trembled as if full of her burden, as the fish was of Jonah.
上文我们见约拿身在大鱼的腹中，本以为再也听不到他的消息了，因为他若不被海水所灭，也必被那鳄鱼的肚腹所消化——"它口中发出烧着的火把，与迸发的火星，它的气点着煤炭"（伯 41:19、21）。然而神领他的百姓经过火、经过水（诗 66:12）；借着他的大能，看哪，先知约拿仍然活着，并且我们再次听见他的消息。在本章中，神听见了他的声音，因为我们看见他在祈祷；在下一章中，尼尼微听见了他的声音，因为我们看见他在传道。在他的祷告中，我们有以下内容：I. 他所处的极大困苦与危险（拿 2:2、3、5、6）。II. 他因此几乎陷入的绝望（拿 2:4）。III. 他在这一可悲境地中所领受的鼓励（拿 2:4、7）。IV. 他对神向他施恩的确据（拿 2:6、7）。V. 他对别人所发的警戒与教训（拿 2:8）。VI. 将一切颂赞与荣耀归给神（拿 2:9）。在拿 2:10 中，我们见到约拿从大鱼腹中得了解救，安然无恙地重登旱地。