“Jonah said.

‘I called

To Yahweh,

Out of my distress.

He answered me.

Out of the belly

Of Sheol,

I cried.

You heard

My voice.

You cast me

Into the deep,

Into the heart

Of the seas.

The flood

Surrounded me.

All your waves

Passed over me.

All your billows

Passed over me.’”

Jonah said that he called out to Yahweh when he was distressed. The good thing was that Yahweh responded to Jonah. Thus, Jonah cried out from the belly of Sheol, the shadowy afterlife. Once again, Yahweh heard his voice. Jonah had been cast into the deep sea surrounded by water. As the waves were all around him, he nearly drowned.