Did Jonah die while he was in the belly of the fish?

[Jerry]

There are various verses in the Bible that teach we can only pray to and praise the Lord before we go to the grave.

Psalms 6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

Psalms 88:10-11 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah. Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?

There are no (other) Biblical examples portraying anyone praying to the Lord while dead and in Hell or Abraham’s Bosom. Also, Jonah was saved/righteous. He would have been in Abraham’s Bosom, not suffering fire and thirst in Hell; therefore his statement about being in Hell was figurative, not literal - considering that he was in the belly (ie. stomach) of the whale according to verse 1, and probably experiencing burns from the stomach acid, not the actual flames of Hell.

Jonah 2:1-2 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.