这事令约拿十分不悦,非常恼怒。 他向耶和华祷告说:“耶和华啊,我在家乡的时候岂不早就说过你会这样做吗?我知道你是一位有恩典、有怜悯的上帝,不轻易发怒,充满慈爱,不忍心降灾,所以我才急速逃往他施。 耶和华啊,求你收回我的性命吧,我死了比活着还好!” 耶和华对他说:“你这样大发脾气合理吗?”

于是,约拿跑到城外,在城东为自己搭了一个棚,坐在棚下荫凉处,要看看尼尼微城究竟会怎样。 后来,耶和华上帝安排了一棵蓖麻迅速地长起来,为约拿遮荫,使他的头免受日晒。约拿因有这棵蓖麻而非常欢喜。 第二天黎明的时候,上帝却安排了一条虫来咬这棵蓖麻,蓖麻就枯萎了。 太阳出来的时候,上帝刮起燥热的东风,烈日把约拿晒得发昏,他就再次求死说:“我死了比活着还好!”

上帝对约拿说:“你为这棵蓖麻大发脾气合理吗?”约拿回答说:“我就是气死了也合理。” 10 耶和华说:“这棵蓖麻不是你种的,也不是你栽培的,它在一夜之间长成,又在一夜之间死去,你尚且如此爱惜, 11 我怎能不爱惜这尼尼微大城呢?城中单是连左右手都分不清的人就有十二万多,还有许多的牲畜。”

Chapter 4

Jonah’s Anger; God’s Reproof. This decision greatly displeased Jonah, and he became very angry. Praying to the Lord, he said, “Lord, isn’t this exactly what I predicted when I was still in my own country? That is why in the beginning I fled to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, who is slow to anger, abounding in mercy, and ready to relent from inflicting punishment. Therefore, Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” The Lord replied, “Do you have any right to be angry?”

Then Jonah left Nineveh and walked to the east of the city. After making a booth for himself there, he sat under it in the shade while he waited to see what would happen to the city.

The Last Lesson

The Lord God then ordained that a gourd plant should grow up above Jonah to cast shade over his head and relieve his discomfort. Jonah was very happy about this plant.

But at dawn the next day, God ordained that a worm should infest the gourd plant, and it withered. Then, when the sun rose, God ordained that a scorching wind should blow from the east. The sun beat down on the head of Jonah to such an extent that he grew faint. Then he begged that he might die, saying, “I would be better off dead than alive.”

God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” Jonah replied, “I have every reason to be angry, angry enough to die.”

10 The Lord then said, “You are concerned about the plant, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow. It came into being in one night, and it perished in one night. 11 Therefore, why should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city in which there are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot tell their right hand from their left, as well as innumerable cattle?”

God’s Mercy Makes Jonah Angry

But this made Jonah very unhappy, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, “When I was still in my own country this is what I said would happen, and that is why I quickly ran away to Tarshish. I knew that you are a God who is kind and shows mercy. You don’t become angry quickly, and you have great love. I knew you would choose not to cause harm. So now I ask you, Lord, please kill me. It is better for me to die than to live.”

Then the Lord said, “Do you think it is right for you to be angry?”

Jonah went out and sat down east of the city. There he made a shelter for himself and sat in the shade, waiting to see what would happen to the city. The Lord made a plant grow quickly up over Jonah, which gave him shade and helped him to be more comfortable. Jonah was very pleased to have the plant. But the next day when the sun rose, God sent a worm to attack the plant so that it died.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, God sent a very hot east wind to blow, and the sun became so hot on Jonah’s head that he became very weak and wished he were dead. He said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”

But God said to Jonah, “Do you think it is right for you to be angry about the plant?”

Jonah answered, “It is right for me to be angry! I am so angry I could die!”

10 And the Lord said, “You are so concerned for that plant even though you did nothing to make it grow. It appeared one day, and the next day it died. 11 Then shouldn’t I show concern for the great city Nineveh, which has more than one hundred twenty thousand people who do not know right from wrong, and many animals, too?”

Jonah’s Anger at the Lord’s Compassion

But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry.(A) He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew(B) that you are a gracious(C) and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love,(D) a God who relents(E) from sending calamity.(F) Now, Lord, take away my life,(G) for it is better for me to die(H) than to live.”(I)

But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”(J)

Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. Then the Lord God provided(K) a leafy plant[a] and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered.(L) When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die,(M) and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”

But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”(N)

“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”

10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern(O) for the great city of Nineveh,(P) in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

Footnotes

  1. Jonah 4:6 The precise identification of this plant is uncertain; also in verses 7, 9 and 10.