Jonah 4:1-7

Jonah balks at God’s mercy

1 But Jonah thought this was utterly wrong, and he became angry.

2 He prayed to the LORD, "Come on, LORD! Wasn't this precisely my point when I was back in my own land? This is why I fled to Tarshish earlier! I know that you are a merciful and compassionate God, very patient, full of faithful love, and willing not to destroy.

3 At this point, LORD, you may as well take my life from me, because it would be better for me to die than to live."

4 The LORD responded, "Is your anger a good thing?"

5 But Jonah went out from the city and sat down east of the city. There he made himself a hut and sat under it, in the shade, to see what would happen to the city.

6 Then the LORD God provided a shrub, and it grew up over Jonah, providing shade for his head and saving him from his misery. Jonah was very happy about the shrub.

7 But God provided a worm the next day at dawn, and it attacked the shrub so that it died.

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Jonah 4:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JONAH 4

This chapter gives us an account of Jonah's displeasure at the repentance of the Ninevites, and at the Lord's showing mercy unto them, Jon 4:1; the angry prayer of Jonah upon it, Jon 4:2,3; the Lord's gentle reproof of him for it, Jon 4:4; his conduct upon that, Jon 4:5; the gourd prepared for him; its rise, usefulness, and destruction, which raised different passions in Jonah, Jon 4:6-8; the improvement the Lord made of this to rebuke Jonah, for his displicency at the mercy he showed to the Ninevites, and to convict him of his folly, Jon 4:9-11.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Footnotes 1

[a]. Botanists disagree about whether Heb qiqayon refers to a climbing gourd plant, a castor bean plant, or some other shrub.

Jonah 4:1-7

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Jonah balks at God’s mercy

Jonah 4:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JONAH 4

Footnotes 1