Useful Bible Studies > Jonah Commentary > chapter 1
The sailors on Jonah’s boat came from many different nations. When the storm came, each of them prayed to the false god of his own nation. However, none of those gods answered the sailors’ prayers, and the storm continued. In fact, it became even more severe (1:11).
So, the sailors thought that trouble in the spirit world had prevented any answer to their prayers. In their opinion, someone on the boat was guilty of a very terrible crime. That man’s god had sent the storm because the man had offended his god so badly. That was what the sailors believed. So, the sailors thought that they must do something to please or to satisfy that man’s god. Otherwise, they would all die in the storm.
The sailors decided to use a method called lots to identify the guilty man. In normal circumstances, they might use lots as a game of chance. Typically, each man would take a stone from a pot, but one stone was a different colour. In these circumstances, the men prayed that the guilty man would take that stone. Israel’s people also used this method sometimes (Proverbs 16:33); of course, they prayed to the true God before they used the lots (Acts 1:24-26).
Jonah had already told the sailors that he was the guilty man (1:10). They seemed not to believe it. He was an honest man who paid his debts (1:3); he did not curse or swear as they probably did. He did not seem to be a man who was guilty of a terrible crime against his God. So, the sailors only believed it when the lots selected Jonah.
Next part: The sailors ask Jonah questions (Jonah 1:8)
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