Jonah 2:5 (GNV)

Passage

The waters compassed me about vnto the soule: the depth closed me rounde about, and the weedes were wrapt about mine head.

Nearby Context

Jonah 2:3 For thou haddest cast me into the bottome in the middes of the sea, and the floods compassed me about: all thy surges, and all thy waues passed ouer me.

Jonah 2:4 Then I saide, I am cast away out of thy sight: yet will I looke againe towarde thine holy Temple.

Jonah 2:5 The waters compassed me about vnto the soule: the depth closed me rounde about, and the weedes were wrapt about mine head.

Jonah 2:6 I went downe to the bottome of the moutaines: the earth with her barres was about me for euer, yet hast thou brought vp my life from the pit, O Lord my God.

Jonah 2:7 When my soule fainted within me, I remembred the Lord: and my prayer came vnto thee, into thine holy Temple.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "waters", "compassed", "vnto", "soule", "depth", "closed", "rounde", and "weedes". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "waters" and "compassed", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 4's "Then I saide I am cast away..." into verse 6's "I went downe to the bottome of...", so "waters" and "compassed" belong inside that flow. In Jonah context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "waters" and "compassed" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.