Jonah 1:4
But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea,.... He took a wind out of his treasures, and hurled it, as the word {w} signifies, into the sea: "into that sea" {x}; that part of it where the ship was Jonah was in. Winds are at the command of God, which he raises at his pleasure, and fulfil his will, and are servants of his that obey his orders: this here was sent in pursuit of Jonah, to stop him in his voyage, when he thought he had got clear off, and was safe enough. The Jews say {y} this was done when he had been one day's voyage:
and there was a great tempest in the sea; which caused the waves to rise and roar, and become very tumultuous: this wind was an extraordinary one, like that "laelaps" or storm of wind which came down into the sea when the disciples of Christ were on it in a ship; or like the "Euroclydon", in which the Apostle Paul was, Acts 27:14;
so that the ship was like to be broken; it was in danger of it; it seemed as if it would, the waves of the sea were so strong, and beat so hard upon it. It is in the original text, "the ship thought it should be broken" {z}; that is, the men in it; they that had the management of it thought nothing less but that it would be dashed to pieces, and all their goods and lives lost; so great was the hurricane occasioned by the wind the Lord sent. It may be rendered, "that ship {a} was like", &c. The Jews {b} have a notion that other ships passed to and fro in great tranquillity, and this only was in distress.
{w} lyjh "projecit", Mercerus, Drusius; "conjecit", Cocceius.
{x} Myb "in mare illud", Mercerus.
{y} Pirke Eliezer, c. 10. fol. 10. 1.
{z} hbvx "putabat", Montanus; "cogitavit", Vatablus, Burkius; "cogitabat", Drusius, Cocceius.
{a} hynah "navem iliam", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
{b} Pirke Eliezer, c. 10. fol. 10. 1. So Aben Ezra, Jarchi, Kimchi, and Abendana in loc.