Board index ‹ Specific Bible verses, texts, and passages ‹ Jonah

[Gmw803]

Did Jonah die while in the fish and get resurrected from the dead?

[jimwalton]

There's no notion or indication of that. While in the belly Jonah prays, no knowing his future. For all he knows, he's a goner, and thus he expresses feelings such as in 2.7, "When my life was ebbing away..." As far as he knew, within 48 hours it would be over, and there was no future for him on earth, but then by verse 10 he's vomited out, stands up and (hopefully) takes a bath to rid himself of the rancid smell before heading on to the rancid city of Nineveh. We could easily joke, "You just can't keep a good man down!"

Jonah's prayer demonstrates that he saw the fish as deliverance, not judgment. He was drowning, and the Lord used the fish to save his life. So I would say it's quite certain that he didn't die.