Because the storm was growing worse and worse, ¹  they said to him, “What should we do to you to make ²  the sea calm down ³  for us?”

biblegateway Jon 1:11

So they said to him, "What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?"—for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy.

So they said to him, "What should we do to you to calm this sea that's against us?" For the sea was getting worse and worse.

The storm was getting worse. So they asked Jonah, "What should we do with you to calm the sea?"

biblegateway Jon 1:11

The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?"

Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?" For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

bibleoremus Jon 1:11

Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?" For the sea was growing more and more tempestuous.

“What must we do with you to make the sea calm for us?” they asked; for it was getting worse.

biblegateway Jon 1:11

Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?" ––for the sea was growing more tempestuous.

Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

biblegateway Jon 1:11

Because the storm was growing worse and worse, ¹  they said to him, “What should we do to you to make ²  the sea calm down ³  for us?”

¹ tn Heb “the sea was walking and storming.” The two participles הוֹלֵךְ וְסֹעֵר (holekh vÿso’er, “walking and storming”) form an idiom that means “the storm was growing worse and worse.” When the participle הוֹלֵךְ precedes another participle with vav, it often denotes the idea of “growing, increasing” (BDB 233 s.v. הָלַךְ 4.d; e.g., Exod 19:19; 1 Sam 2:26; 2 Sam 3:1; 15:12; 2 Chr 17:12; Esth 9:4; Prov 4:18; Eccl 1:6). For example, “the power of David grew stronger and stronger (הֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק, holek vÿkhazeq; “was walking and becoming strong”), while the dynasty of Saul grew weaker and weaker (הֹלְכִים וְדַלִּים, holÿkhim vÿdallim; “was walking and becoming weak”)” (2 Sam 3:1; see IBHS 625-26 §37.6d).

² tn The vav-consecutive prefixed to the imperfect/prefixed conjugation verb וְיִשְׁתֹּק (vÿyishtoq, “to quiet”) denotes purpose/result (see IBHS 638-40 §38.3), translated here by the English infinitive.

³ tn Heb “become quiet for us”; NRSV “may quiet down for us.”