The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Book 37: Jonas The Challoner Revision

This compact prophetic book follows Jonas, a reluctant messenger summoned to preach repentance in Ninive, a great and wicked city. Rather than obey, he boards a ship bound for distant Tharsis, hoping to escape the Lord’s command. His flight soon places the vessel and its frightened crew in the path of a violent storm, forcing Jonas to confront the consequences of his refusal.

Cast into the sea, Jonas is swallowed by a great fish and cries out to God from the depths. His prayer expresses fear, humility, and renewed trust, while the surrounding annotations offer historical, geographical, and spiritual context for the narrative. The account is both an adventure of deliverance and a meditation on divine mercy, obedience, repentance, and God’s concern for nations beyond Israel. Its vivid imagery and concise chapters make it especially suited to reflective listening.