Jonah 1:13 (YLT)

Passage

And the men row to turn back unto the dry land, and are not able, for the sea is more and more tempestuous against them.

Nearby Context

Jonah 1:11 And they say unto him, `What do we do to thee that the sea may cease from us, for the sea is more and more tempestuous?'

Jonah 1:12 And he saith unto them, `Lift me up, and cast me into the sea, and the sea doth cease from you; for I know that on my account this great tempest <FI>is<Fi> upon you.'

Jonah 1:13 And the men row to turn back unto the dry land, and are not able, for the sea is more and more tempestuous against them.

Jonah 1:14 And they cry unto Jehovah, and say, `We pray Thee, O Jehovah, let us not, we pray Thee, perish for this man's life, and do not lay on us innocent blood, for Thou, Jehovah, as Thou hast pleased, Thou hast done.'

Jonah 1:15 And they lift up Jonah, and cast him into the sea, and the sea ceaseth from its raging;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "turn", "back", "land", "able", "tempestuous", and "against". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "turn" and "back", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "And he saith unto them Lift me..." into verse 14's "And they cry unto Jehovah and say...", so "turn" and "back" 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 "turn" and "back" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.