Yonah's Prayer/2
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Yonah's Prayer
Exegetical Approaches
Thanksgiving Prayer
Yonah thanked Hashem for saving him from drowning in the sea.
Past tense: "שָׁמַעְתָּ קוֹלִי" – The fact that Yonah speaks of his salvation in the past tense implies that his prayer is not a request for future salvation but thanksgiving for aid already received.
Role of the fish – This position assumes that Yonah viewed the fish as an instrument of salvation and not as further punishment. Its swallowing of Yonah saved him from drowning in the sea and prompted him to thank Hashem.
Imagery – Yonah's descriptions of the danger from which he was saved all revolve around potential drowning rather than being trapped in the fish, again suggesting that he did not view his presence in the fish as life threatening or necessitating aid. He speaks of being surrounded by water ("נָהָר/ תְּהוֹם יְסֹבְבֵנִי") and overcome by waves ("מִשְׁבָּרֶיךָ וְגַלֶּיךָ עָלַי עָבָרוּ"), getting entangled in seaweed ("סוּף חָבוּשׁ לְרֹאשִׁי"), and almost sinking to the depths of the sea ("לְקִצְבֵי הָרִים יָרַדְתִּי"/"תַּשְׁלִיכֵנִי מְצוּלָה") but no where mentions being trapped inside the fish.
"וַיַּעֲנֵנִי מִבֶּטֶן שְׁאוֹל"
"וַאֲנִי בְּקוֹל תּוֹדָה אֶזְבְּחָה לָּךְ"
Petitionary Prayer
Role of the fish – Yonah's
Past tense: "שָׁמַעְתָּ קוֹלִי"
Imagery
"וַאֲנִי בְּקוֹל תּוֹדָה אֶזְבְּחָה לָּךְ"
Cry of Repentance
Sources:Abarbanel
