Chapter 2: Prayer from the depths
Sefer Yonah | Yonah 2:1-11 | Units 4-5
The fish preserves Yonah. His prayer looks back on the danger and forward to returning to the place he fled.
Unit 4: Prayer from the depths (2:1-5)
2:1
Verse
ืึทืึฐืึทื ืืณ ืึผึธื ืึผึธืืึนื ืึดืึฐืึนืขึท ืึถืชึพืืึนื ึธื ืึทืึฐืึดื ืืึนื ึธื ืึผึดืึฐืขึตื ืึทืึผึธื ืฉืึฐืึนืฉืึธื ืึธืึดืื ืึผืฉืึฐืึนืฉืึธื ืึตืืืึนืชื
Hashem appointed a great fish to swallow Yonah, and Yonah remained inside the fish for three days and three nights.
Radak
ืืืื ืืณ. ืขื ืื ืืืื ืืื ืืฉืจ ืื ื ืืืืืื ืืืงืืดื ืืืืื ื ืืคื ืฉืขื ืฉืืฉืขื ืฉืืืื ืืื ื ืืื ืืืืื ืืื ืฉืืืขื ืืื ืืืข ืืื ืืื ืืื ืืื ืื ืื ืกืื ืืืคืจืงื ืจโ ืืืืขืืจ ืจโ ืืจืคืื ืืืจ ืืืื ื ืืื ืืื ืืฉืฉืช ืืื ืืจืืฉืืช ืืืืืข ืืช ืืื ื:
โHashem appointed.โ This denotes making something ready, as in โwho appointed your foodโ (Daniel 1:10). The Blessed One made it ready for that moment: when Yonah was cast into the sea, He provided the fish that swallowed him, so that he did not drown. This was one of the miracles. In Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Tarfon says that the fish had been appointed from the six days of Creation to swallow Yonah.
Key point: The fish is already a rescue: it prevents Yonah from drowning. Radak then records Rabbi Tarfonโs different account of when this rescue was prepared.
2:2
Verse
ืึทืึผึดืชึฐืคึผึทืึผึตื ืืึนื ึธื ืึถืึพืืณ ืึฑืึนืงึธืื ืึดืึผึฐืขึตื ืึทืึผึธืึธืื
Yonah prayed to Hashem his God from inside the fish.
Radak
ืืืชืคืื ืืื ื. ื ืก ืืืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืืืขื ืืื ืฉืืฉื ืืืื ืืฉืืฉื ืืืืืช ืืืื ืื ืืขืื ื ืก ืืืจ ืฉืื ื ืืื ืืื ืขืื ืืืขืชื ืืืฉืืื ืืืชืคืื:
โYonah prayed.โ It was a great miracle that he remained alive inside the fish for three days and three nights. There was a further miracle: he was not stupefied, but retained his awareness and reason, and prayed.
ืืืื. ืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืืฉืื ืืืจ ืื ืงืื ืืื ืืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืืืืจ ืืชื, ืืืฉ ืืจืฉ ืื ื ืงืื ืืืชื ืืโื ืืืขื ืืื ื ืืืงืื ืืโืช ืืื ืจืืฆื ืืืืจ ืื ืืชืื ืืฆืจื ืืชืคืื ืืื ืืืื ืฉืืื ืฉืืขืชื ืืืขืืงืื ืงืจืืชืื ืืณ ืื ืืืฆืจ ืงืจืืชื ืึพื:
โThe fish [dagah].โ This is like dag: the word may occur in either masculine or feminine form, as in โthe fish in the Nile diedโ (Shemot 7:21). There is also a midrash that it was female. The mem in mimeโei, โfrom the innardsโ, does not stand in place of a bet, โinโ. Rather, the meaning is that he prayed out of his distress. Similarly: โFrom the belly of Sheol I cried for helpโ (2:3); โFrom the depths I called to You, Hashemโ (Tehillim 130:1); โFrom the narrow place I called to Hashemโ (Tehillim 118:5).
Rashi 2:1 - Dag and dagah (selected passage)
ืึธึผื ืึธึผืืึนื. ืึธืึธืจ ืึธืึธื ืึฐืึธืึธื ืขืึนืึตื ืึฐึผืจึถืึทื ืึฐืึนื ื ึธืชึทื ืึตื ืึฐืึดืชึฐืคึทึผืึตึผื. ืจึธืึทื ืึทืงึธึผืืึนืฉื ืึธึผืจืึผืึฐ ืืึผื ืึทืึธึผื ืึฐืึตืงึดืืืึน ืึฐืชืึนืึฐ ืคึดึผืืึธ ืฉึถืื ื ึฐืงึตืึธื ืฉึถืืึธืึฐืชึธื ืึฐืึตืึธื ืขืึผืึธึผืจึดืื, ืึฐืึธืึธื ืฉึธืื ืึฐึผืืึนืึทืง ืึทืึดึผืชึฐืคึทึผืึตึผื ืฉึธืื, ืฉึถืื ึถึผืึฑืึทืจ ืดืึดืึฐึผืขึตื ืึทืึธึผืึธืืด.
โA great fish.โ It was male, and Yonah had ample space, so he did not turn his attention to prayer. The Holy One, blessed is He, signalled to the fish, and it vomited him into the mouth of a female filled with embryos. He was cramped there and prayed there, as it says, โfrom inside the female fish [dagah]โ.
Key point: For Radak, staying alive and retaining the clarity to pray are two distinct miracles. His plain reading does not require a change from a male fish to a female one.
2:3
Verse
ืึทืึผึนืืึถืจ ืงึธืจึธืืชึดื ืึดืฆึผึธืจึธื ืึดื ืึถืึพืืณ ืึทืึผึทืขึฒื ึตื ึดื ืึดืึผึถืึถื ืฉืึฐืืึนื ืฉืึดืึผึทืขึฐืชึผึดื ืฉืึธืึทืขึฐืชึผึธ ืงืึนืึดืื
He said: In my distress I called to Hashem, and He answered me. From the belly of Sheol I cried for help; You heard my voice.
Radak
ืืืืืจ. ืืืขื ื ื ืืืื ืฉืขืื ืืืืืชื ืืืข ืฉืืฆื ืืืขื ืืื ืืฉืืื:
โHe said โฆ and He answered me.โ Since he had remained alive, he knew that he would emerge safely from inside the fish.
Key point: Yonah speaks as someone already answered, although he is still inside the fish. Radak finds the basis for his confidence in the fact that he is alive.
2:4
Verse
ืึทืชึผึทืฉืึฐืึดืืึตื ึดื ืึฐืฆืึผืึธื ืึผึดืึฐืึทื ืึทืึผึดืื ืึฐื ึธืึธืจ ืึฐืกึนืึฐืึตื ึดื ืึผืืึพืึดืฉืึฐืึผึธืจึถืืึธ ืึฐืึทืึผึถืืึธ ืขึธืึทื ืขึธืึธืจืึผื
You cast me into the depths, into the heart of the seas, and the current surrounded me; all Your breakers and waves passed over me.
Radak
ืืชืฉืืืื ื ืืฆืืื, ืื ืืจ ืืกืืืื ื. ืื ืืจ ืื ืื ืก ืืื ืืืืื ืจโ ืืืจืื ืืื ืขืืจื ืคืโ ืื ืืืงืื ืืชืืืจืืช ืืื ืขื ืื ืืจ ืืื ืื:
โYou cast me into the depths โฆ and a river surrounded me.โ This is the river that enters the sea. The sage Rabbi Avraham ibn Ezra explained that this occurred where the sea meets the river.
ืื ืืฉืืจืื ืืืืื. ืืืฉืืจ ืืื ืืื ืืขืช ืืืขืฃ ืืงืจืื ืืฉืืจื:
โAll Your breakers and Your waves.โ When the waves of the sea break during a storm, they are called mishbarim, โbreakersโ.
Key point: The sailors threw Yonah overboard, yet Yonah addresses Hashem: โYou cast me.โ The poem sees Hashemโs action behind the human action.
2:5
Verse
ืึทืึฒื ึดื ืึธืึทืจึฐืชึผึดื ื ึดืึฐืจึทืฉืึฐืชึผึดื ืึดื ึผึถืึถื ืขึตืื ึถืืึธ ืึทืึฐ ืืึนืกึดืืฃ ืึฐืึทืึผึดืื ืึถืึพืึตืืึทื ืงืืึฐืฉืึถืึธื
I said: I have been driven away from before Your eyes; yet I shall look again towards Your holy Temple.
Radak
ืืื ื ืืืจืชื ื ืืจืฉืชื. ืฉืืฉืืชื ืืฉืืืืืื ื ืืื ืฉืื ื ืืช ืื ืืจืฉืชื ืื ืื ืขืื ืื ืืืืืจ ืืืฉืืืชื ืขืื ืขื ืฉืืฉืืชื ืฉืืกืชืจืช ืคื ืื ืืขืื ืื ืืื ื ืื ืขืชื ืฉืขืฉืืช ืขืื ืื ืก ืืืืื ืืื ืืขืืื ื ืื ืืืขื ืืื ืืืขืชื ืฉืืืกืืฃ ืขืื ืืืืื ืื ืืืื ืงืืฉื ืืืืช ืืืงืืฉ ืืืงืื ืื ืืืื ืืืงืื ืืฉืืืชื ืขืื ืชืฉืืื ื ืืืื ืืื ืื ื ืืจืืชื ืืื ื ืืคืโ ืืืืื ืืืชืคืื ื ืื ืืืืื:
โI said: I have been driven away.โ When they cast me into the sea, I thought that I was dying and had been driven away from before Your eyes - that is, from Your providential care for me. I thought that You had hidden Your face and Your eyes from me. But now that You have performed this great miracle for me, and I am still alive inside the fish, I know that I shall once again look towards Your holy sanctuary in the Temple. You will return me to the place of prophecy and the place of Your providential care, even though I fled from it. โTo lookโ means to pray facing the sanctuary.
Key point: The place Yonah fled is now the place towards which he longs to pray. Radak explicitly connects the Temple with prophecy and providence.
Questions from the text
- Radak on 2:1-2 identifies several miracles. What does each one preserve or make possible?
- How does Radak explain dag and dagah in 2:2? What additional event does Rashi on 2:1 derive from the change?
- Why can Yonah say โHe answered meโ in 2:3 before he has left the fish? Find Radakโs evidence.
- Compare 1:3 and Radak on 2:5. What has changed in Yonahโs attitude towards the place of prophecy?
Unit 5: Survival, loyalty and release (2:6-11)
2:6
Verse
ืึฒืคึธืคืึผื ึดื ืึทืึดื ืขึทืึพื ึถืคึถืฉื ืชึผึฐืืึนื ืึฐืกึนืึฐืึตื ึดื ืกืึผืฃ ืึธืืึผืฉื ืึฐืจึนืืฉืึดืื
Water closed around me, threatening my life; the deep surrounded me; reeds were bound around my head.
Radak
ืืคืคืื ื ืืื ืขื ื ืคืฉ. ืกืืืื ื ืืื ืขื ืฉืืืขื ืืฆืื ืืื ื ื ืคืฉื ืขื ืฉืืืขื ื ืืื ืืื ืื ืืื ืืื ืขื ื ืคืฉ:
โWater surrounded me, to the point of death.โ Water surrounded me until my life almost left me, until the fish swallowed me. Similarly: โFor waters have reached the point of deathโ (Tehillim 69:2).
ืกืืฃ ืืืืฉ ืืจืืฉื. ืืกืืฃ ืืื ืืืืื ืืืฉ ืืื ื ืืื ืขื ืฉืคืช ืืืืจ ืื ืืื ืืคืืื ื ืงืจืืื ืกืืฃ ืฉืืื ืขื ืฉืคืชื ืกืืฃ ืจื ืืืฉ ืืื ื ืฉืืื ืืงืจืงืข ืืื ืืขืืงืจื ืืืจืื ืืืื ืฉืงืืจืื ืื ืืืโื ืืืขโื ืืืื ืืง ืืืจืื ืื ืืจื ืืจืืฉื ืืืืื ืืืื ืฉืืืจ ืกืืฃ ืืืืฉ ืืจืืฉื ืืคืโ ืืจืืฉื ืืจืืฉ ืืื ืฉืืืขื ื ืื ืืื ืืื ืืื ืจืืฉื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืืืขื ืืื ืืโื ืกืืฃ ืื ืกืืฃ ืืืืืจืื ืื ืื ืกืืฃ ืืื ื ืื ืก ืืื ืืคื ืืขื ืืืจื ืืื ืชโื ืืื ืืกืืฃ ืชืื ืขืื ืื ืจืืฉื:
โSuf was bound around my head.โ Suf is reed growth. Some grows at the edge of the river or sea; hence the name Suf, because much suf grows along its shore. Some grows on the seabed at the bases of the mountains. This is what is called alga in the vernacular: it is thin and long, and winds around the heads of fish. This is what he meant by โsuf was bound around my headโ. โMy headโ means the head of the fish that swallowed me, since its head was like his own for as long as he was inside it. Some interpret suf as the Sea of Suf, and say that the Sea of Suf enters the sea of Yafo. Yonatan translated along these lines: โThe Sea of Suf was suspended above my head.โ
Key point: Radak distinguishes the moment of near-drowning from survival within the fish. He also preserves two readings of suf; his account of their geography is part of the historical commentary.
2:7
Verse
ืึฐืงึดืฆึฐืึตื ืึธืจึดืื ืึธืจึทืึฐืชึผึดื ืึธืึธืจึถืฅ ืึผึฐืจึดืึถืืึธ ืึทืขึฒืึดื ืึฐืขืึนืึธื ืึทืชึผึทืขึทื ืึดืฉืึผึทืึทืช ืึทืึผึทื ืืณ ืึฑืึนืงึธืื
I descended to the roots of the mountains; the earth with its bars closed behind me for ever. Yet You brought my life up from the pit, Hashem my God.
Radak
ืืงืฆืื ืืจืื ืืจืืชื. ืืกืืฃ ืืืจืื ืืฉืจ ืืื ืืืืืจ ืืขืืงืจืืื ืฉืืื ืงืจืงืข ืืื ืืงืฆื ืืงืฅ ืืื ืืื ืืืชโื ืืขืืงืจื ืืืจืื ื ืืชืืช:
โI descended to the ends of the mountains.โ To the ends of the mountains in the sea - that is, their bases, on the seabed. Ketzav and ketz have the same meaning, โendโ. Yonatan likewise translated: โI descended to the roots of the mountains.โ
ืืืจืฅ ืืจืืืื ืืขืื ืืขืืื. ืืชืืืื ืืฉืืชื ืฉืืืจืฅ ืฉืืื ืืืืฉื ืืื ืืจืืืื ืืขืื ืืืืืจ ืฉืืืชื ืืืจืืช ืืขืื ืฉืื ืืฆื ืืืื ืืขืืื ืฉืืืื ืืื ืงืืจื ืืืืจื ืฉืื ื ืื ืืืขื ืืื ืืืขืชื ืฉืืขืืืช ืืฉืืช ืืื ืืืฉืืช ืืื ืืงืืจ ืืืฆื ืขืื ืื ืืืืฉื:
โThe earth, its bars were behind me for ever.โ At first I thought that the earth - the dry land - had its bars closed against me; that it was barred against me, so that I would never emerge onto it and the sea would be my grave. But since I am alive inside the fish, I know that You have brought my life up from the pit. The pit means the grave; I will emerge onto dry land again.
ืืณ ืืืงื. ืฉืฉืคืืช ืืืชื ืืืื ืืโืช ืืจืขื ื ืืืช ืืชืืงืคืื ืืืืืจ:
โHashem my God.โ You judged me with justice. Yonatan translated: โThe earth stretched out in its strengthโ, and so forth.
Key point: The descent reaches the seabed, but the verse turns with โYou brought upโ. Yonah now understands survival as the beginning of deliverance.
2:8
Verse
ืึผึฐืึดืชึฐืขึทืึผึตืฃ ืขึธืึทื ื ึทืคึฐืฉืึดื ืึถืชึพืืณ ืึธืึธืจึฐืชึผึดื ืึทืชึผึธืืึนื ืึตืึถืืึธ ืชึผึฐืคึดืึผึธืชึดื ืึถืึพืึตืืึทื ืงืืึฐืฉืึถืึธื
When my life was ebbing away, I remembered Hashem; my prayer came to You, to Your holy Temple.
Radak
ืืืชืขืืฃ ืขืื ื ืคืฉื. ืื ืืืฉืื ื ืืืจ ืขื ืจืื ืืฆืจื ืฉืชืงืฆืจ ื ืคืฉ ืืืื ืื ืืื ื ืคืฉื ืืื ืชืชืขืืฃ ืืืจ ืืฉืืืชื ืืฆืจื ื ืคืฉื ืฉืืืขื ื ืืื ืืชืืืื ืืฉืืชื ืืืื ืื ื ืืช ืืขื ืื ืื ืืช ืืณ ืืชืืจื ืืืจืชื ืืืชืคืืืชื ืืืื:
โWhen my soul grew faint within me.โ This expression is used of overwhelming distress, in which a personโs spirit becomes constrained. Similarly: โTheir soul grew faint within themโ (Tehillim 107:5). He said: When my soul was in distress, when the fish first swallowed me, I thought that I was as good as dead. Nevertheless, I remembered Hashem, blessed is He, and prayed to Him.
ืืชืื ืืืื ืชืคืืชื. ืืืืื ืฉื ืฉืืจืชื ืื ืื ืืืขื ืืื ืืืขืชื ืฉืืื ืืืื ืชืคืืชื:
โMy prayer came to You.โ Since I remained alive like this inside the fish, I knew that my prayer had reached You.
ืื ืืืื ืงืืฉื. ืืื ืืฉืืื ืืื ื ืืืจ ืืืืื ืงืืฉื ืืณ ืืฉืืื ืืืื ืืกืื ืืขื ืืจื ืืื ื ืืืจ ืืชืื ืชืคืืืชื ืืืขืื ืงืืฉื ืืฉืืื:
โTo Your holy sanctuary.โ This means heaven. Similarly it says: โIn His holy sanctuaryโ (Havakkuk 2:20), and โHashem has established His throne in heavenโ (Tehillim 103:19). In the same way it says: โTheir prayer came to His holy dwelling, to heavenโ (Divrei HaYamim II 30:27).
Key point: Radak takes the sanctuary in verse 5 as the earthly Temple, and the sanctuary here as heaven. The same words can have different referents within one prayer.
2:9
Verse
ืึฐืฉืึทืึผึฐืจึดืื ืึทืึฐืึตืึพืฉืึธืึฐื ืึทืกึฐืึผึธื ืึทืขึฒืึนืืึผื
Those who cling to empty vanities abandon their faithful loyalty.
Radak
ืืฉืืจืื ืืืื ืฉืื. ืื ืฉื ืืกืคืื ื ืฉืืื ืขืืืืื ืืืืืื ืืื ืืฉืืจื ืืืื ืฉืื ืืืขืชื ืฉืืืจ ืฉื ืืืื ืื ืืฆืจื ืืขืืื ืืกืื ืฉืืืจืื ืืช ืืณ ืืืขืงื ืืืื ืื ืืจื ื ืืจืื ืื ืืงืืืื ืื ืฉื ืืจื ืืืฉืืื ืืขืืืืช ืืืงืืื ืืื ืื ื ืื ืื ืื ืืงืื ืชืืื ืืืืื ืื:
โThose who keep empty vanities.โ These are the people aboard the ship, who worshipped idols and are thus keepers of empty vanities. I know that after escaping their distress they will abandon their faithful devotion: although they feared Hashem, cried out to Him and made vows, they will not fulfil what they vowed and will return to serving their gods. But I will not do so, for โwith a voice of thanksgiving I will sacrifice to Youโ (2:10).
ืืฉืืจืื. ืืื ื ืคืขื ืืืฆื ืืื ืืื ืืื ืฉืืืจืื ืืโื ืืกืื ืืขืืื ืื ืืกื ืืื ืืืืืจ ืืขืืื ืืืืืืื ืฉืื ืืกื ืื ืืื ืืื ืืื ืืคืจืงื ืจืื ืืืืขืืจ ืืืื ืฉืจืื ืืืืืื ืืฉืืืืขื ืื ื ืื ืื ืืช ืื ืื ืกืื ืฉืขืฉื ืืงืืดื ืขื ืืื ื ืขืืื ืืืฉืืืื ืืืฉ ืืืงืื ืืื ืฉื ืโ ืืฉืืจืื ืืืื ืฉืื ืืกืื ืืขืืืื ืืืจื ืืืคื ืืขืื ืืืจืืฉืื ืืืื ืืช ืืฉืจ ืขืจืืชื ืฉื ืืืจ ืืืจืื ืืื ืฉืื ืืจืื ืืืืื ืืช ืืณ ืืืืืื ืืืืื ืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืื ืื ืื ืืจืืช ืืืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืืื ืื ืืจื ืืืืื ืืืฉ ืืช ืืฉืชื ืืืช ืื ืื ืืืช ืื ืืฉืจ ืื ืืืจืื ืืช ืืณ ืืืงื ืืื ื ืื ืืจื ืืฉืืื ืืขืืืื ืืื ืืืืจ ืขื ืืืจืื ืืจื ืืฆืืง ืืโืช ืื ืืขืืืื ืคืืื ืืขืืชื ืืืโ:
โKeep [meshammerim].โ This is not a causative verb; it is like shomerim, โkeepersโ. Some interpret โthey will abandon their hesedโ in the sense of โit is a disgrace [hesed]โ (Vayikra 20:17): they will abandon their idols, which are disgrace and vileness. This is also the account in Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer: When the sailors reached Nineveh and saw all the miracles that the Holy One, blessed is He, had performed for Yonah, they stood up and each cast his god into the sea, as it says, โThose who keep empty vanities will abandon their disgrace.โ They returned to Yafo, went up to Jerusalem and circumcised themselves, as it says, โThe men feared Hashem greatly and offered sacrificesโ (1:16). Did they really offer a sacrifice? Rather, this is the blood of the covenant of circumcision, which is like the blood of a sacrifice. They vowed that each would bring his wife, his children and all that he possessed to fear Hashem, the God of Yonah. They vowed and fulfilled their vows. Concerning them it speaks of converts, righteous converts. Yonatan translated: โNot like the nations who serve idolsโ, and so forth.
Key point: Do not merge the two readings. In the first, Yonah expects the sailors to abandon their devotion; in the second, they abandon their idols and fulfil their vows. The meaning of hesed changes with the reading.
2:10
Verse
ืึทืึฒื ึดื ืึผึฐืงืึนื ืชึผืึนืึธื ืึถืึฐืึผึฐืึธืึพืึผึธืึฐ ืึฒืฉืึถืจ ื ึธืึทืจึฐืชึผึดื ืึฒืฉืึทืึผึตืึธื ืึฐืฉืืึผืขึธืชึธื ืึทืืณื
But I, with a voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You. What I have vowed I will fulfil. Deliverance belongs to Hashem!
Radak
ืืื ื ืืงืื ืชืืื. ืฉืืืื ืืงืื ืชืืื ืืชืื ืงืื ืืืืืโ ืื ืืื ืชืืโ ืืืฉืจ ื ืืจืชื:
โBut I, with a voice of thanksgiving.โ I will thank You aloud with thanksgiving in an assembly, and I will offer You a thanksgiving sacrifice, as I vowed.
ืืฉืขืืชื ืืืณ. ืคืโ ืืืืืจ ืื ืืืฉืืขื ืืืณ ืืืื ืฉืืืฉืืขื ื ืืคืื ืืืื ืฉืขืฉื ืื:
โDeliverance belongs to Hashem.โ Its meaning is: I will declare that deliverance belongs to Hashem alone, who saved me through the great wonder He performed for me.
Key point: Yonah promises public thanksgiving and fulfilment of his vow. His prayer ends by assigning deliverance to Hashem alone.
2:11
Verse
ืึทืึผึนืืึถืจ ืืณ ืึทืึผึธื ืึทืึผึธืงึตื ืึถืชึพืืึนื ึธื ืึถืึพืึทืึผึทืึผึธืฉืึธืื
Hashem commanded the fish, and it vomited Yonah onto dry land.
Radak
ืืืืืจ ืืณ ืืื. ืืขืืจ ืืช ืจืฆืื ื ืฉืืงืืื ื ืื ืืืืฉื:
โHashem said to the fish.โ He stirred its will to vomit him onto dry land.
Key point: Radak explains the command through the fishโs will. Yonah returns to the dry land that seemed permanently closed to him.
Chapter in view
The downward journey turns towards rescue. Yonah prays, recognises that his life has been preserved, and promises thanksgiving. His view of the sailors remains a point of interpretive tension in Radak; the next chapter will test his response to renewed responsibility.
Questions from the text
- Whose head does Radak identify in 2:6, and why? What alternative does he record for suf?
- Compare Radak on โYour holy sanctuaryโ in 2:5 and 2:8. What does the phrase refer to in each?
- In the two readings of 2:9, what do the sailors abandon? How does each reading connect with their vows in 1:16?
- What does Yonah promise in 2:10? Compare his words with what Radak says the sailors promised in 1:16.
- Follow โI descendedโ and โYou brought upโ in 2:7. How does Radak divide the verse between Yonahโs earlier fear and present confidence?