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"Jonah" Digital Illustration

“Jonah’s prayer in the fish tells us something of the way in which he views his own situation. The central topic is the sticky situation in which he finds himself. In the narrator’s text it had already become clear that he is in the less than fresh-smelling innards of a fish, and now Jonah himself indicates his physical situation at that moment. He is struggling for breath and so calls to YHWH (2.3b) and shouts for help (2.3d). Jonah is afraid of death, as attested by the weakness of his breathing (2.8a), his presence in Sheol (2.3d) the depths (2.6b) or the pit (2.7c). In particular the many lexemes that point to sensory perceptions make his situation graphically imaginable to the reader.” [Inner World: A Cognitive Linguistic Approach to the Book of Jonah -- Albert Kamp pg . 133 ]

Metaphorically this area is also the seat of the emotions. Jonah who has fled from the presence of the LORD and may have also have fled from the presence of himself is caught. He is in the place of digestion -- and now he finds his voice. When we find our voice it is intriguing to hear what we have to tell ourselves and God. JWS