Jonah 1:14 (WEB)

Passage

Therefore they cried to Yahweh, and said, “We beg you, Yahweh, we beg you, don’t let us die for this man’s life, and don’t lay on us innocent blood; for you, Yahweh, have done as it pleased you.”

Nearby Context

Jonah 1:12 He said to them, “Take me up, and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will be calm for you; for I know that because of me this great storm is on you.”

Jonah 1:13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to get them back to the land; but they could not, for the sea grew more and more stormy against them.

Jonah 1:14 Therefore they cried to Yahweh, and said, “We beg you, Yahweh, we beg you, don’t let us die for this man’s life, and don’t lay on us innocent blood; for you, Yahweh, have done as it pleased you.”

Jonah 1:15 So they took up Jonah, and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased its raging.

Jonah 1:16 Then the men feared Yahweh exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice to Yahweh, and made vows.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "therefore", "cried", "yahweh", "said", "life", "innocent", and "blood". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "therefore" and "cried", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 13's "Nevertheless the men rowed hard to get..." into verse 15's "So they took up Jonah and threw...", so "therefore" and "cried" 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 "therefore" and "cried" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.