God tells Jonah to go to Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire, off to the east. He's running away from God, and figures God won't bother him there in that heathen land. Jonah can run, but he can't hide. Hops on board a ship and relaxes for the cruise to Tarshish. Sits on a deck chair, sips a Pina Colada, and puts God, Nineveh, and the whole prophet business out of his mind.
Big storm comes up.
Bad storm, bad enough to make a sailor pray. Ship is about to sink. All these heathen sailors are praying to their heathen gods. The captain wakes him and tells him to pray to his god. Wants to cover all his bases.