Jonah 1:14

“Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, etc.] Not unto their gods, but unto the true Jehovah, the God of Jonah, and of the Hebrews; whom they now, by this providence, and Jonah’s discourse, had some convictions and knowledge of as the true God; and therefore direct their prayer to him, before they cast the prophet into the sea: and said, we beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee; which repetition shows the ardent, vehemence, and earnestness of their minds in prayer: let us not perish for this man’s life; they were in the utmost perplexity of mind, not knowing well what to do; they saw they must perish by the storm, if they saved his life; and they were afraid their should perish, if they took it…”

“for this man's life--that is, for taking this man's life. innocent blood--Do not punish us as Thou wouldst punish the shedders of innocent blood (compare ). In the case of the Antitype, Pontius Pilate washed his hands and confessed Christ's innocence, "I am innocent of the blood of this just person." But whereas Jonah the victim was guilty and the sailors innocent, Christ our sacrificial victim was innocent and Pontius Pilate and nil of us men were guilty. But by imputation of our guilt to Him and His righteousness to us, the spotless Antitype exactly corresponds to the guilty type. thou . . . Lord, hast done as it pleased thee--That Jonah has embarked in this ship, that a tempest has…”

“Wherefore (And) they cried unto the Lord - “They cried” no more “each man to his god,” but to the one God, whom Jonah had made known to them; and to Him they cried with an earnest submissive, cry, repeating the words of beseeching, as men, do in great earnestness; “we beseech Thee, O Lord, let us not, we beseech Thee, perish for the life of this man” (i. e., as a penalty for taking it, as it is said, 2 Samuel 14:7. “we will slay him for the life of his brother,” and, Deuteronomy 19:21. “life for life.”) They seem to have known what is said, Genesis 9:5-6. “your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s…”

“Unto the Lord - Now they all cry to Jonah's God, to Jehovah. And said - Let us not perish for taking away his life. Hast done - Sending the tempest, arresting the prophet by it, detecting him by lot, sentencing him by his own mouth, and confirming the condemning sentence by the continuance of the storm. Jonah 1:16”

“they: Jon 1:5, Jon 1:16; Psa 107:28; Isa 26:16 let: Gen 9:6; Deu 21:8; Act 28:4 for: Psa 115:3, Psa 135:6; Dan 4:34, Dan 4:35; Mat 11:26; Eph 1:9, Eph 1:11 Jonah 1:15”