King James Version

What Does Jonah 1:10 Mean?

Jonah 1:10 in the King James Version says “Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the...” — study this verse from Jonah chapter 1 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. exceedingly: Heb. with great fear”

Jonah 1:10 · KJV

Fear & Courage

Context

8

Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

9

And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. the LORD: or, JEHOVAH

10

Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. exceedingly: Heb. with great fear

11

Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous. may: Heb. may be silent from us wrought: or, grew more and more tempestuous: Heb. went

12

And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

Read Jonah 1 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
The sailors' response: "Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them." The phrase "exceedingly afraid" (yir'u yir'ah gedolah) literally means "feared a great fear"—Hebrew superlative indicating terror. These pagan sailors understood immediately: you don't flee from the universal Creator-God who made sea and land. Their question "Why hast thou done this?" expresses shock at Jonah's folly. Fleeing God is irrational, impossible, and dangerous to everyone nearby. Psalm 139:7-12 elaborates: there is no escaping God's presence. The sailors grasped what Jonah ignored: rebellion against this God endangers not just the rebel but everyone around him. Sin's corporate consequences appear throughout Scripture (Achan—Joshua 7; Ananias and Sapphira—Acts 5). Individual rebellion affects communities.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Ancient sailors were religiously devout, knowing their survival depended on divine favor. They'd pray to multiple gods, perform rituals, and avoid angering deities. Jonah's revelation that he was fleeing the Creator-God terrified them—they were caught between the sea and an angry deity who controlled it. Their subsequent reluctance to throw Jonah overboard (v. 13) despite his guilt shows remarkable moral character. These pagans display greater righteousness than God's prophet.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does your sin affect those around you, not just yourself?
  2. What does it mean that fleeing God is both impossible and dangerous?
  3. How do unbelievers sometimes demonstrate greater moral sensitivity than professing Christians?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 20 words
וַיִּֽירְא֤וּ1 of 20

“afraid”

H3372

to fear; morally to revere; causatively to frighten

הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים2 of 20

“Then were the men”

H582

properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified h0120); hence, a man in general (singly or collectively)

יִרְאָ֣ה3 of 20
H3373

fearing; morally, reverent

גְדוֹלָ֔ה4 of 20

“exceedingly”

H1419

great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent

וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ5 of 20

“and said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

אֵלָ֖יו6 of 20
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

מַה7 of 20
H4100

properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and

זֹּ֣את8 of 20
H2063

this (often used adverb)

עָשִׂ֑יתָ9 of 20

“unto him Why hast thou done”

H6213

to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

כִּֽי10 of 20
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

יָדְע֣וּ11 of 20

“knew”

H3045

to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including o

הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים12 of 20

“Then were the men”

H582

properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified h0120); hence, a man in general (singly or collectively)

כִּֽי13 of 20
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

מִלִּפְנֵ֤י14 of 20

“from the presence”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

יְהוָה֙15 of 20

“of the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

ה֣וּא16 of 20
H1931

he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo

בֹרֵ֔חַ17 of 20

“that he fled”

H1272

to bolt, i.e., figuratively, to flee suddenly

כִּ֥י18 of 20
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

הִגִּ֖יד19 of 20

“because he had told”

H5046

properly, to front, i.e., stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to

לָהֶֽם׃20 of 20
H1992

they (only used when emphatic)

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jonah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jonah 1:10 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jonah 1:10 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jonah 1:3Job 27:22Daniel 5:6-9John 19:82 Samuel 24:3Joshua 7:25

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