Jonah 4

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 lovingkindness, and you relent of doing harm.

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 livestock?”

Jonah 4

Jonah Responds to God’s Kindness

1 This displeased Jonah terriblyt and he became very angry.t2 He prayed to the Lord and said, “Oh, Lord, this is just what I thoughtt would happent when I was in my own country.t This is what I tried to preventt by attempting to escape to Tarshish!ts – because I knewt that you are gracious and compassionate, slow to angert and aboundingt in mercy, and one who relents concerning threatened judgment.ts3 So now, Lord, kill me instead,t because I would rather die than live!”t

4 The Lord said, “Are you really so veryts angry?”t
5 Jonah left the city and sat down eastt of it.t He made a shelter for himself there and sat down under it in the shade to see what would happen to the city.s

6 The Lord God appointedt a little plantt and caused it to grow up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to rescues him from his misery.t Now Jonah was very delightedt about the little plant.
7 So God sentt a worm at dawn the next day, and it attacked the little plant so that it dried up.8 When the sun began to shine, God sentt a hotst east wind. So the sun beat downt on Jonah’s head, and he grew faint. So he despaired of life,t and said, “I would rather die than live!”ts9 God said to Jonah, “Are you really so very angryt about the little plant?” And he said, “I am as angryt as I could possibly be!”t10 The Lord said, “You were upsett about this littlet plant, something for which you have not worked nor did you do anything to make it grow. It grew up overnight and died the next day.t

11 Should It not be even moret concernedt about Nineveh, this enormous city?t There are more than one hundred twenty thousand people in it who do not know right from wrong,t as well as many animals!”t