Jonah 4:2-3

2 And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? ¹That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a ²gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and ³relenting from disaster.

3 ⁴Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, ⁵for it is better for me to die than to live. ”

Jonah 4:2-3 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.

Cross References

• 1. 4:2 ch. 1:3
• 2. 4:2 See Joel 2:13
• 3. 4:2 See Joel 2:13
• 4. 4:3 [1 Kgs. 19:4]
• 5. 4:3 [Eccles. 7:1]