King James Version

What Does Jonah 2:6 Mean?

Jonah 2:6 in the King James Version says “I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my ...” — study this verse from Jonah chapter 2 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. bottoms: Heb. cuttings off corruption: or, the pit”

Jonah 2:6 · KJV

Context

4

Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.

5

The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.

6

I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. bottoms: Heb. cuttings off corruption: or, the pit

7

When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

8

They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

Read Jonah 2 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. Jonah's descent reaches its lowest point before deliverance. "I went down to the bottoms of the mountains" (leqatzvei harim yaradti, לְקַצְוֵי הָרִים יָרַדְתִּי) describes sinking to the ocean floor where underwater mountains have their foundations. The verb yarad (יָרַד—"went down") has appeared repeatedly in Jonah's flight: down to Joppa (1:3), down into the ship (1:3, 1:5), and now down to the ocean floor. This marks the nadir of his downward spiral.

"The earth with her bars was about me for ever" (ha'aretz bericheyha va'adi leolam, הָאָרֶץ בְּרִחֶיהָ בַעֲדִי לְעוֹלָם) uses prison imagery. Beriach (בְּרִיחַ) means bar, bolt, or gate—the securing mechanism that locks prison doors or city gates. Jonah pictures himself trapped in earth's prison, locked beneath the ocean with no possibility of escape. "For ever" (leolam, לְעוֹלָם) suggests permanent imprisonment—from his perspective, this is the end.

Yet the verse pivots dramatically: "yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption" (vata'al mishachat chayay, וַתַּעַל מִשַּׁחַת חַיַּי). The adversative "yet" introduces God's intervention. The verb alah (עָלָה—"brought up") reverses the repeated yarad ("went down")—God lifts what sin dragged down. "From corruption" (mishachat, מִשַּׁחַת) can mean pit, destruction, or the grave. Some translations render it "from the pit" (ESV, NIV) or "from the Pit" as a name for Sheol. The noun derives from shachat (שָׁחַת), meaning to decay, ruin, or destroy—describing both physical decomposition and the realm of the dead.

"O LORD my God" (YHWH Elohay, יְהוָה אֱלֹהָי) restores covenant relationship. Despite rebellion, Jonah can still call Yahweh "my God." This anticipates Hosea's message that God pursues unfaithful Israel to restore covenant relationship (Hosea 2:19-20, 14:4-7). The verse's theological movement from death to life, descent to ascent, imprisonment to freedom prefigures resurrection—Jonah's physical rescue and ultimately Christ's resurrection from the dead.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Ancient cosmology pictured mountains having roots or foundations extending down into the earth and even beneath the seas. Jonah's imagery of descending to where mountains are founded suggests going to the very depths of creation, as far from heaven as possible. The language of earth's "bars" reflects ancient cities' security systems—massive wooden or metal bars that locked gates shut. These bars made cities impregnable from outside; Jonah was locked in death's city from inside with no human means of escape.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does Jonah's movement from descent (<em>yarad</em>) to ascent (<em>alah</em>) prefigure Christ's death and resurrection?
  2. What does the impossibility of Jonah's situation ("for ever," "bars") teach about salvation being entirely God's work?
  3. How does calling God "my God" even in rebellion demonstrate the security of covenant relationship?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 12 words
לְקִצְבֵ֤י1 of 12

“to the bottoms”

H7095

shape (as if cut out); base (as if there cut off)

הָרִים֙2 of 12

“of the mountains”

H2022

a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)

יָרַ֔דְתִּי3 of 12

“I went down”

H3381

to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); cau

הָאָ֛רֶץ4 of 12

“the earth”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

בְּרִחֶ֥יהָ5 of 12

“with her bars”

H1280

a bolt

בַעֲדִ֖י6 of 12
H1157

in up to or over against; generally at, beside, among, behind, for, etc

לְעוֹלָ֑ם7 of 12

“was about me for ever”

H5769

properly, concealed, i.e., the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e., (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial

וַתַּ֧עַל8 of 12

“yet hast thou brought up”

H5927

to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative

מִשַּׁ֛חַת9 of 12

“from corruption”

H7845

a pit (especially as a trap); figuratively, destruction

חַיַּ֖י10 of 12

“my life”

H2416

alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or livin

יְהוָ֥ה11 of 12

“O LORD”

H3068

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

אֱלֹהָֽי׃12 of 12

“my God”

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

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 2:6 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 2:6 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Psalms 30:3Psalms 16:10Isaiah 38:17Psalms 143:7Proverbs 8:25-29Habakkuk 3:10

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