Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.
Ver. 14. Wherefore they cried unto the Lord] Not unto their false gods, but unto the true Jehovah of whom they had learned something by what they had seen and heard from Jonah. Va torpori nostro.
We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee] A most ardent and affectionate prayer. A natural man may pray from the bottom of his heart, out of a deep sense of his wants; but he cannot give thanks from the bottom of his heart; because void of the love of God and joy of faith. Danaeus noteth from these words that judges ought to pray before they pass sentence of death upon any.
Let us not perish for this man's life] Which we take away, but full sore against our wills. Wilful murder was ever accounted a heinous crime among the heathens also. Abel's innocent blood had as many tongues as drops, to cry to heaven against Cain, Genesis 4:10, "The voice of thy brother's blood"; and 2 Kings 9:26, "Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth." Murder ever bleeds fresh in the eye of God; and to him many years, yea, that eternity that is past, is but yesterday. Full well, then, did these men so earnestly deprecate the guilt of innocent blood, which they knew would lie and light heavily.
And lay not upon us innocent blood] Innocent as to us; for he hath done us no hurt, but much good by his piety and patience; whence it is that we are so loth to part with him, after this sort especially.
For thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleaseth thee] Thou hast appointed him to this death, and now callest for him, as we easily collect by the circumstances. Sic quicquid superi voluere, per actum est (Ovid. Metamor. l. 8).