How many people can claim to have been swallowed whole by a whale and later spit out in one piece? Not many, but God’s prophet Jonah is one of them. It is not surprising that there are multiple songs about Jonah that follow his journey.
There is a lot to learn from Jonah and these songs are a way to keep his story in our minds and teach us valuable lessons.
Jonah received an assignment from God to preach to the people of Nineveh. They were sinners who, according to Jonah, had no chance of redemption. He decides to run away.
God does not let this slide, so he first creates a storm that gets Jonah thrown out of the boat he was using to escape and then gets him swallowed by a whale.
Read on if you want to learn more about Jonah and the lessons you can learn from him.
21 Songs About Jonah
These songs about Jonah will help you and your children learn more about this man of God, his assignment, and his journey to Nineveh. Let’s go!
1. Jonah And The Whale – Louis Armstrong
What’s a better way to learn about Jonah and his journey than with the powerful voice of Louis Armstrong? This is the song that always pops into my mind when I hear of Jonah.
Louis tells Jonah’s story from when he ran away from his assignment, to getting swallowed by a whale, and finally his preaching to the people of Nineveh.
Recommended: 15 Songs About Moses That Keep His Legacy Alive.
2. Jonah Jonah – Apologetix
This is a great song for your preteens and teenagers to learn more about Jonah. Some people don’t like the song because they consider it “dumbed down” or a washed-up of the original Bible story.
Others like it because it is easy to remember and teaches the basics of what happened to Jonah. Listen to it and decide which group you belong to.
3. The What That Swallowed Jonah – Joe Bonamassa
Most songs about Jonah focus on his story and tell it from Jonah’s point of view. Joe Bonamassa talks more about the whale that swallowed Jonah.
He talks about how the whale might have done that to put Jonah to the test. Joe also says that he also feels like he is being put to the test, and the whale is trying to tell him to get back home.
We can all feel some of the world’s pressure, especially when we are off our course, making it feel like we have also been swallowed by a whale.
4. Who Did (Swallow Jonah) – Cedarmont Kids
Have you always wanted to know who swallowed Jonah? Do you want your children to learn more about Jonah? Let the Cedarmont Kids help you.
The song is like one of those nursery rhymes that we all memorized when we were younger.
5. Jonah’s Prayer – Emu Youth
This song focuses on the prayer Jonah offered to God while he was in the whale’s stomach. It is a plea to God to save him. He gives his all to God’s faithful love, believing that he will get salvation from God.
It is an encouraging song that reminds us to put our trust in God, no matter the troubles we face. It also encourages us to give our voice and our all to God for the hope of salvation.
6. God Said Go – Glen Scrivener
This is a catchy way to memorize the exchange between God and Jonah when he received his orders. He did not want to go to Nineveh because he considered the people there sinners, so when God said go, Jonah said no!
This catchy tune is a funny song to help you remember Jonah’s journey and how he finally got to the people of Nineveh.
7. Hey Jonah – Triumphant Quartet
What happens when you try to get away from the orders you get from God? Well, Jonah was a rebel and tried doing exactly that, only his attempts to run away failed.
He was thrown away from the ship he was using to sail away from Nineveh and he got swallowed by a whale. The Triumphant Quartet relates Jonah’s story and the moral of his story in a way that we should all listen to.
8. Where’s Jonah – Lucid Collective
So, where’s Jonah? In the belly of the whale. This song by Lucid Collective is a story of Jonah, one of the Bible’s heroes.
It is accompanied by different voices to keep even the youngest of children interested from beginning to end. Listening to it from a young age will ensure they never forget about Jonah and his journey.
Recommended: These 21 Songs About Prophets Can Inspire Your Faith.
9. Jonah Song – Saddleback Kids
What’s an even better way to learn about Jonah and his story than listening to a catchy tune and watching a fun cartoon?
This song’s animation follows Jonah’s journey, showing his decision to go the opposite way to Nineveh and jumping on a boat. The animation makes it fun for young ones to learn this important Bible story.
10. Grace Upon Grace – Jamie Wolf & Summerlyn Sharpe
This song is based on the book of Jonah, specifically Jonah 1:16. “Grace Upon Grace” shows how we cannot run far away from God because he pursues us.
This is especially true when it comes to Jonah, he tried to run but God still found him. The song also shows us that God’s love and mercy will always catch up with us.
11. Jonah, Are You Gonna – Songtime Kids
There is no end of children’s songs about Jonah and this tune by the Songtime Kids is one of the best in the category.
It asks Jonah if he would have run away if he had known that if he disobeyed he would get swallowed by a whale. You can use this song when studying Jonah’s story with your kids.
12. The Whale Swallowed Jonah – Amber Nelon Thompson
This song blew me away when I first heard it. I did not expect such a good song from a young Amber Thompson but this is one of the most interesting take on Jonah’s story.
Her beautiful voice and catchy voice make the song fun to sing along to, all while giving important information about Jonah.
13. Jonah’s Prayer – Redeemed
Another take on the prayer Jonah made to God while in the whale’s stomach. He called to the Lord when he was “deep in the realm of the dead” and asked for guidance from Him.
This song reminds us that we can always turn to God, even when we feel like our life is fading away and he will always rescue us.
14. Jonah – Paul Simon
Paul Simon challenges the information we all know about Jonah. He argues that Jonah was not swallowed by a while, rather, he was swallowed by a song.
Does this mean that Paul Simon does not believe Jonah’s story or was he just posing a different side to the story we all know? Find your own answer.
15. Jonah Go Down to Nineveh – The Statesmen Quartet
This song comes from The Statesmen Quartet and contains one of the oldest takes on the story of Jonah, the whale, and running away from duty.
It is delivered in that old style, which makes it stand out from other songs about Jonah. It urges us to obey the Lord lest we face similar consequences.
Recommended: 21 Songs About Redemption That Can Inspire Positive Change.
16. Jonah – Patch the Pirate
Children are likely to be interested to learn about Jonah which is sung by the fish. This animation is designed to entertain and educate younger children about Jonah, who did not obey God.
The fun visuals are to keep them glued, while the lyrics teach the kids to beware and make sure they do not try to run away from God. It also teaches them that God is everywhere, and he is willing to rescue us if we stray.
17. Listen To My Tale of Jonah and the Whale – Mark Timms
Mark and his father did this cover of Jonah song. Mark Timms and his father have one of the catchier tunes, putting them on our list of songs about Jonah.
18. Jonah and the Whale – P.M. Adamson
A much more grown-up version of Jonah’s story, P.M. Adamson used a neo-blues song to make a song about Jonah. It goes into more depth about Jonah, using harsher words than other songs.
He calls Jonah a bad man who ran away from God, but there is redemption in the end. The moral of this story, according to Adamson, is that we should never run from God’s hands. A powerful message!
19. Jonah’s Journey – VeggieTales
Jonah was a prophet, who is one of the special people God would use. The song puts the message across in a way that many children can understand. The talking/ singing balance makes the song, and in turn Jonah’s story easier to remember.
20. Jonah and the Whale – Buddy Greene
Country music takes on Jonah’s journey and makes its way to our list of songs about Jonah. Buddy Greene puts a spin on this classic by playing the organ and singing the song with a country twist.
The song is one of the best ways to remember Jonah’s journey and the trials and tribulations he faced before finally accepting his assignment.
21. Song of Jonah – Sing to the Lord!
This song follows the traditional acapella hymn style used in most churches. It is sung from Jonah’s perspective, talking of the shame and disappointment he had in himself after running away from God’s orders.
He called on God’s name and asked for redemption, knowing He could hear him. The song feels like a spiritual experience and is something you should hear at least once.
Last Words
So there you go, some of the best songs about Jonah you will ever hear. The songs tell Jonah’s story from different perspectives, that of Jonah himself, that of God, the whale, and even from us as observers.
I hope the songs have helped you learn more about Jonah than you previously knew. Some of the songs are also great for teaching your children about Jonah and his journey.
