Jonah 4:3

So, now, O Yahweh, because you will not destroy Nineveh city as you said you would, allow me to die. It is better for me to die than to continue to live."

Jonah (Easy-to-Translate)

In The King James Version

Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.

In Context

2So, Jonah complained to Yahweh, saying: "O Yahweh, what you have done is what I thought that you would do, before I left home. That is why I decided immediately to run away, and go to Tarshish city. I did so because I knew that you, O God, act very kindly and compassionate toward all people. You do not quickly become angry with people who do evil things. You love people very much, and you change your mind about punishing sinful people when they repent. complained OR prayed [with bitterness] You love people very much OR You keep your promises to people You love people very much The Hebrew word *khesed *remains the foremost characteristic for God, meaning covenant loyalty. The Greek equivalent is “faithful(ness)”. you, O God, act very kindly and compassionate *toward all people*. You do not quickly become angry with people who do evil things. You love people very much, and you change your mind about punishing *sinful people when they repent*. Exodus 34:6; Jeremiah 18:1-11 you, O God, act very kindly and compassionate *toward all people*. You do not quickly become angry with people who do evil things. You love people very much, and you change your mind about punishing *sinful people when they repent*. Jonah is summarizing a passage about Yahweh that is repeated very often throughout Scripture. allow me to die OR kill me now It is not right/good for you to be angry about my not destroying the city OR Is it right for you to be angry about my not destroying the city? It is not right/good for you to be angry about my not destroying the city In Hebrew, this is a rhetorical question, not a real question. You may translate it either as a strong statement, or as a rhetorical question that is designed to make the listener/reader think.

4Yahweh replied, "Why are you angry that I have not destroyed the city?" It is better for me to die than to *continue to* live OR I do not want to live. I want to die. Why are you angry OR Is it right for you to be angry OR There is no good reason for you to be angry OR It is not right/good for you to be angry Why are you angry This is a rhetorical question which Yahweh is “asking” Jonah in order to rebuke him and make him change his bad attitude. You may translate it as a statement if that is a more meaningful way for your language. *not destroyed* *OR spared OR saved*

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Cross References

Jonah 4:8Then, when the sun rose high in the sky, God sent a very hot wind from the east. The sun shone very strongly on Jonah's head, with the result that he felt faint. He wanted to die, and he said, "It would be better for me to die than to continue to live!" a worm OR an insect OR a bug

Matthew Henry on Jonah 4:2-5

The Prophet's Discontent. ( b. c. 840.) 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 ,… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

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