Was Jonah Conscious In Sheol?

[Karl Kozlowski]

I’m not sure whether Tim has addressed this elsewhere (I can’t find a “Ghost Stories” entry for this under “The Doctrine of Man” in the Bereans Bible Institute materials), but I’m curious how Jonah 2:2 can be reconciled with the Biblical teaching that the dead aren’t conscious, much less able to do anything.

“And he said,
I called by reason of mine affliction unto Jehovah,
And he answered me;
Out of the belly of Sheol cried I,
And thou heardest my voice.” (ASV)

In light of the rest of Jonah’s words in verses 3-9 making sense when understood in a straightforward manner, how are we to understand the boldfaced phrase?

[Peter C]

Hi Karl,
I hope you don’t mind, I am going to take a crack at answering. It helps me learn, so any errors in my answer can hopefully be corrected.

Jonah’s journey begins (Jon. 1:17, 2:1) and ends (Jon. 2:10) in the whale.

Jonah was clearly in great distress and fear for his life.

From Jonah’s point of view, he had no idea how long he would spend inside the whale or if he would even survive. He probably thought the belly of the fish was his final resting place.

With that in mind, Jonah began to pray to the LORD.

This is the important point: assuming the translation *“ebbing away” (NIV) is correct?

Jonah’s use of the word “Sheol” or grave is metaphorical, because in verse 7 Jonah’s “life is ebbing away”, so Jonah was clearly still alive at this point, perhaps physically close to death or just in such distress he felt as though death was imminent.

For those who believe (as I once did) that Sheol (the grave), a literal place for the departed ghosts, is allegedly in a subterranean cavern deep in the Earth. How could it also literally be in a whale’s belly, as Jonah called it?

I think that also shows the use of the word Sheol is metaphorical.

* The verb [ebbing away] Ekleipō (ἐκλείπω) is a Greek verb meaning “to fail,” “to cease,” “to leave out,” or “to come to an end”. Derived from ek (“out”) and leipō (“leave”), it implies abandonment, omission, or a cessation of existence, often used for disappearing light, passing away, or dying. It is the root of the English word “eclipse.”

Sent from my iPhone

[Karl Kozlowski]

I agree with most of that, Peter, but then why did Jonah use the phrasing “from the belly of Sheol”, rather than something like “from the edge of Sheol”?

[Peter C]

Karl,

The fact that Sheol supposedly has a “Belly”, one would assume it is an idiomatic expression and therefore metaphorical language and not literal. Unless, one believes, “Sheol”, or “the grave”, literally has a belly?

[Peter C]

I am not sure how anyone could believe Jonah is dead from inside of a whale or Sheol, in light of verses like these.

Psalm 6:5 Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
Who praises you from the grave?

Psalm 115:17 It is not the dead who praise the LORD,
those who go down to the place of silence

Ps. 30:9; 88:10-12; Ecc 9:10; Isa 38:18

[Peter C]

My phone sent a duplicate post, so I have just edited, changed the duplicate reply.

Also Karl, maybe I am not following you very well and what you’re asking?
Do you believe that people go to a place after death as departed ghosts?

I think that “The belly of Sheol” conveys a stronger sense of despair compared to “from the edge of Sheol”.
As I said before it seems to be an idiomatic expression, perhaps we’ll known at that time?

[Karl Kozlowski]

Peter, I understand that “belly” implies the depths of Sheol, not a literal belly. But how could Jonah have cried from a state (I’ve seen Tim explain elsewhere that Sheol is an abstract concept, not a physical location) where nobody is conscious?

I guess I’m trying to get a solid answer for why a mention of someone being in Sheol is to be taken metaphorically this once in the entire Bible, without the answer coming off as arbitrary, ad hoc, or “making excuses to explain away a contradiction (with the passages you referenced in one of your responses)”. Indeed, I’ve seen someone try to explain away all the passages teaching an unconscious state for the dead by saying “these passages come from poetic books and passages, so they weren’t necessarily to be taken literally”. How would you justify statements of people being unconscious in Sheol in Psalms being meant literally, but a statement of someone being conscious in Sheol in Jonah being meant metaphorically, rather than vice-versa? See how it comes off as arbitrary in both directions? I’m looking for an explanation that ISN’T arbitrary.

I know how many other camps make up metaphorical interpretations for passages just because they don’t like taking them literally, or vice-versa. In light of Jonah 2:3-9 being meant literally, I’m looking for a non-arbitrary reason for why Jonah 2:2 SHOULDN’T be. Does that make sense?

[Peter C]

Karl,

All the other biblical references to dead people in the grave are of just that, dead people in the grave. They are literally, physically dead and metaphorically sleeping, in the grave.

Jonah on the other hand is physically alive, in deep despair and cries out using metaphorical language referencing the grave.

These are two distinctly different conditions. You’re confusing terms.

Jesus equates physical death as metaphorically sleeping (John 11:11-14).

Jonah wasn’t dead, after his ordeal he was vomited onto the land to complete his mission.

Beyond this, I obviously can’t be of any help. Hopefully, for your sake, and peace of mind, someone else can offer a clearer solution?

Apologies for the “arbitrary, ad hoc” replies, I’ll keep that in mind going forward.

[Karl Kozlowski]

For the record, Peter, I’m inclined to agree with you. I just want to be able to rigorously justify it.

Yes, I very much would like a little more peace of mind on that front.

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