Jonah 1:10

“Then were the men exceedingly afraid, etc.] When they found he was a Hebrew, and that it was the God of the Hebrews that was angry; of whom they had heard much, and what great and wonderful things had been done by him, and now had an experience of his power and providence, and that it was for fleeing from his presence that all this was; and therefore, since they had been guilty of greater sins than this, as they might imagine, what would be done to them? and particularly it might fill them with dread and terror, when they heard of the destruction of Nineveh, the prophet was sent to denounce; of which no doubt he had told them, and they might from hence conclude it would certainly be: and…”

“"The men were exceedingly afraid," when made aware of the wrath of so powerful a God at the flight of Jonah. Why hast thou done this?--If professors of religion do wrong, they will hear of it from those who make no such profession.”

“Then were the men exceedingly afraid - Before, they had feared the tempest and the loss of their lives. Now they feared God. They feared, not the creature but the Creator. They knew that what they had feared was the doing of His Almightiness. They felt how awesome a thing it was to be in His Hands. Such fear is the beginning of conversion, when people turn from dwelling on the distresses which surround them, to God who sent them. Why hast thou done this? - They are words of amazement and wonder. Why hast thou not obeyed so great a God, and how thoughtest thou to escape the hand of the Creator ? “What is the mystery of thy flight? Why did one, who feared God and had revelations from God,…”

“were: Joh 19:8 exceedingly afraid: Heb. afraid, with great fear, Dan 5:6-9 Why: Jos 7:25; Sa2 24:3 he fled: Jon 1:3; Job 27:22 Jonah 1:11”