1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
2 And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
3 Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
4 Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?
5 So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.
6 And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.
7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.
8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
9 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.
10 Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:
11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more then sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
1 But it displeased H3415 Jonah H3124 exceedingly, H1419 H7451 and he was very angry. H2734
2 And he prayed H6419 unto the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 I pray H577 thee, O LORD, H3068 was not this my saying, H1697 when I was yet in my country? H127 Therefore I fled H1272 before H6923 unto Tarshish: H8659 for I knew H3045 that thou art a gracious H2587 God, H410 and merciful, H7349 slow H750 to anger, H639 and of great H7227 kindness, H2617 and repentest H5162 thee of the evil. H7451
3 Therefore now, O LORD, H3068 take, H3947 I beseech thee, my life H5315 from me; for it is better H2896 for me to die H4194 than to live. H2416
4 Then said H559 the LORD, H3068 Doest thou well H3190 to be angry? H2734
5 So Jonah H3124 went out H3318 of the city, H5892 and sat H3427 on the east side H6924 of the city, H5892 and there made H6213 him a booth, H5521 and sat H3427 under it in the shadow, H6738 till he might see H7200 what would become of the city. H5892
6 And the LORD H3068 God H430 prepared H4487 a gourd, H7021 and made it to come up H5927 over Jonah, H3124 that it might be a shadow H6738 over his head, H7218 to deliver H5337 him from his grief. H7451 So Jonah H3124 was exceeding H1419 H8057 glad H8055 of the gourd. H7021
7 But God H430 prepared H4487 a worm H8438 when the morning H7837 rose H5927 the next day, H4283 and it smote H5221 the gourd H7021 that it withered. H3001
8 And it came to pass, when the sun H8121 did arise, H2224 that God H430 prepared H4487 a vehement H2759 east H6921 wind; H7307 and the sun H8121 beat H5221 upon the head H7218 of Jonah, H3124 that he fainted, H5968 and wished H7592 in himself H5315 to die, H4191 and said, H559 It is better H2896 for me to die H4194 than to live. H2416
9 And God H430 said H559 to Jonah, H3124 Doest thou well H3190 to be angry H2734 for the gourd? H7021 And he said, H559 I do well H3190 to be angry, H2734 even unto death. H4194
10 Then said H559 the LORD, H3068 Thou hast had pity H2347 on the gourd, H7021 for the which thou hast not laboured, H5998 neither madest it grow; H1431 which came up in a night, H1121 H3915 and perished H6 in a night: H1121 H3915
11 And should not I spare H2347 Nineveh, H5210 that great H1419 city, H5892 wherein are H3426 more H7235 than sixscore H8147 H6240 thousand H7239 persons H120 that cannot discern H3045 between their right hand H3225 and their left hand; H8040 and also much H7227 cattle? H929
1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.
2 And he prayed unto Jehovah, and said, I pray thee, O Jehovah, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I hasted to flee unto Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
3 Therefore now, O Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
4 And Jehovah said, Doest thou well to be angry?
5 Then Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city.
6 And Jehovah God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to deliver him from his evil case. So Jonah was exceeding glad because of the gourd.
7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd, that it withered.
8 And it came to pass, when the sun arose, that God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
9 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.
10 And Jehovah said, Thou hast had regard for the gourd, for which thou hast not labored, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:
11 and should not I have regard for Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
1 And it is grievous unto Jonah -- a great evil -- and he is displeased at it;
2 and he prayeth unto Jehovah, and he saith, `I pray Thee, O Jehovah, is not this my word while I was in mine own land -- therefore I was beforehand to flee to Tarshish -- that I have known that Thou `art' a God, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in kindness, and repenting of evil?
3 And now, O Jehovah, take, I pray Thee, my soul from me, for better `is' my death than my life.'
4 And Jehovah saith, `Is doing good displeasing to thee?'
5 And Jonah goeth forth from the city, and sitteth on the east of the city, and maketh to himself there a booth, and sitteth under it in the shade, till that he seeth what is in the city.
6 And Jehovah God appointeth a gourd, and causeth it to come up over Jonah, to be a shade over his head, to give deliverance to him from his affliction, and Jonah rejoiceth because of the gourd `with' great joy.
7 And God appointeth a worm at the going up of the dawn on the morrow, and it smiteth the gourd, and it drieth up.
8 And it cometh to pass, about the rising of the sun, that God appointeth a cutting east wind, and the sun smiteth on the head of Jonah, and he wrappeth himself up, and asketh his soul to die, and saith, `Better `is' my death than my life.'
9 And God saith unto Jonah: `Is doing good displeasing to thee, because of the gourd?' and he saith, `To do good is displeasing to me -- unto death.'
10 And Jehovah saith, `Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for which thou didst not labour, neither didst thou nourish it, which a son of a night was, and a son of a night perished,
11 and I -- have not I pity on Nineveh, the great city, in which there are more than twelve myriads of human beings, who have not known between their right hand and their left -- and much cattle!'
1 And it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.
2 And he prayed unto Jehovah, and said, Ah, Jehovah, was not this my saying when I was yet in my country? Therefore I was minded to flee at first unto Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious ùGod, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving-kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
3 And now, Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.
4 And Jehovah said, Doest thou well to be angry?
5 And Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city.
6 And Jehovah Elohim prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to deliver him from his trouble. And Jonah was exceeding glad because of the gourd.
7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd, that it withered.
8 And it came to pass, when the sun arose, that God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, so that he fainted; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
9 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, unto death.
10 And Jehovah said, Thou hast pity on the gourd, for which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:
11 and I, should not I have pity on Nineveh, the great city, wherein are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.
2 He prayed to Yahweh, and said, "Please, Yahweh, wasn't this what I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore I hurried to flee to Tarshish, for I knew that you are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and you repent of the evil.
3 Therefore now, Yahweh, take, I beg you, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live."
4 Yahweh said, "Is it right for you to be angry?"
5 Then Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made himself a booth, and sat under it in the shade, until he might see what would become of the city.
6 Yahweh God prepared a vine, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to deliver him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the vine.
7 But God prepared a worm at dawn the next day, and it chewed on the vine, so that it withered.
8 It happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah's head, so that he fainted, and requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is better for me to die than to live."
9 God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the vine?" He said, "I am right to be angry, even to death."
10 Yahweh said, "You have been concerned for the vine, for which you have not labored, neither made it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night.
11 Shouldn't I be concerned for Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred twenty thousand persons who can't discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?"
1 But this seemed very wrong to Jonah, and he was angry.
2 And he made prayer to the Lord and said, O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still in my country? This is why I took care to go in flight to Tarshish: for I was certain that you were a loving God, full of pity, slow to be angry and great in mercy, and ready to be turned from your purpose of evil.
3 So now, O Lord, give ear to my prayer and take my life from me; for death is better for me than life.
4 And the Lord said, Have you any right to be angry?
5 Then Jonah went out of the town, and took his seat on the east side of the town and made himself a roof of branches and took his seat under its shade till he saw what would become of the town.
6 And the Lord God made a vine come up over Jonah to give him shade over his head. And Jonah was very glad because of the vine.
7 But early on the morning after, God made ready a worm for the destruction of the vine, and it became dry and dead.
8 Then when the sun came up, God sent a burning east wind: and so great was the heat of the sun on his head that Jonah was overcome, and, requesting death for himself, said, Death is better for me than life.
9 And the Lord said to Jonah, Have you any right to be angry about the vine? And he said, I have a right to be truly angry.
10 And the Lord said, You had pity on the vine, for which you did no work and for the growth of which you were not responsible; which came up in a night and came to an end in a night;
11 And am I not to have mercy on Nineveh, that great town, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons without the power of judging between right and left, as well as much cattle?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Jonah 4
Commentary on Jonah 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
We read, with a great deal of pleasure, in the close of the foregoing chapter, concerning the repentance of Nineveh; but in this chapter we read, with a great deal of uneasiness, concerning the sin of Jonah; and, as there is joy in heaven and earth for the conversion of sinners, so there is grief for the follies and infirmities of saints. In all the book of God we scarcely find a "servant of the Lord' (and such a one we are sure Jonah was, for the scripture calls him so) so very much out of temper as he is here, so very peevish and provoking to God himself. In the first chapter we had him fleeing from the face of God; but here we have him, in effect, flying in the face of God; and, which is more grieving to us, there we had an account of his repentance and return to God; but here, though no doubt he did repent, yet, as in Solomon's case, no account is left us of his recovering himself; but, while we read with wonder of his perverseness, we read with no less wonder of God's tenderness towards him, by which it appeared that he had not cast him off. Here is,
Man's badness and God's goodness serve here for a foil to each other, that the former may appear the more exceedingly sinful and the latter the more exceedingly gracious.
Jon 4:1-4
See here,
Jon 4:5-11
Jonah persists here in his discontent; for the beginning of strife both with God and man is as the letting forth of waters, the breach grows wider and wider, and, when passion gets head, bad is made worse; it should therefore be silenced and suppressed at first. We have here,
Let us therefore own that we do ill, that we do very ill, to be angry for the gourd; and let us under such events quiet ourselves as a child that is weaned from his mother.