“the point of death.” The Hebrew text reads, “to the nephesh.” But the Hebrew word nephesh (#05315 נֶפֶשׁ) has many meanings. It can mean “life” as it may mean here, “to the life,” or, “to the soul,” that is, to the point of death (cp. ASV; CJB, ESV, KJV; NASB; NIV). Or, as many versions reflect, it can have a physiological meaning and thus mean “neck,” such that the water was up to Jonah’s neck (cp. CSB; NAB; NET; NJB). Frankly, it is hard to decide what the text meant here, and the use of nephesh may have been purposely used to picture Jonah’s peril in different ways by using one word, in a sort of amphibologia (double entendre).