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SUBJECT: Jonah and Jonah 2:1-2
QUESTION: Jonah 2:2 says that God heard Jonah out of the
belly of “hell”. Does this indicate that Jonah was dead
those three days and three nights?
ANSWER:
Yes, it does.
Sheol is the grave. Very simple and very plain.
Compare Jonah 2:2
from various translations:
· Original King
James Version: 1611
And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction onto the
LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and
thou heardest my voice.
The spelling is exactly as in the original. English has
changed much since 1611. The original has a note in the
margins about the word "hell." It says "or, the grave."
Later editions took the marginal readings out to conform to
the mythical standard of an "inerrant Bible." Marginal
alternative renderings showed that translators were
uncertain of the meaning. This did not conform to the
"inerrant" idea so the marginal readings, which sometimes
were more correct than the text, were taken out in later
editions. Please note if Jonah was in "hell," as the KJV has
it, then Jonah escaped from a place where, according to
modern theologians, there is no escape.
· The New American
Standard Bible: 1977
and he said, "I called out of my distress to the LORD, And
He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol;
Thou didst hear my voice."
· The New
International Version: 1973
He said: "In my distress I called to the Lord, and he
answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
· The Living
Bible: 1971
"In my great trouble I cried to the Lord and he answered me;
from the depths of death I called, and Lord, you heard me!"
· The Holy Bible
from Ancient Eastern Manuscripts (Lamsa): 1957
I cried to the Lord in my distress and he answered me; out
of the depths of Sheol cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
· Good News Bible:
1976
"In my distress, O Lord, I called to you, and you answered
me. From deep in the world of the dead I cried for help, and
you heard me."
· The Holy Bible
an American Translation: 1976
...and said: "In my distress I called to the Lord, and He
answered me. From the belly of the underworld I cried, and
You heard my voice."
· New Catholic
Liturgical Bible: 1963
Jonah 2:3 Out of my distress I called to the Lord, and he
answered me; from the midst of the nether world I cried for
help, and you heard my voice.
· New Revised
Standard Version: 1989
...saying, "I called to the Lord out of my distress, and he
answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you
heard my voice."
· The Amplified
Bible: 1965
And said, I cried out of my distress to the Lord, and He
heard me; out of the belly of Sheol cried I, and You heard
my voice.
· The New King
James Version: 1985
And he said: "I cried out to the Lord because of my
affliction, And He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I
cried, and You heard my voice.
As we can see, after 350 years of saying Jonah was in
"hell," the New King James finally admitted he wasn't there
after all. He was in Sheol, like everyone else who has died.
Many people have come out of the grave. The Bible is full of
examples.
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