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Jonah’s Anger and God’s Kindness

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I (A)fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a (B)gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. (C)Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for (D)it is better for me to die than to live!”

Then the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. And the Lord God prepared a [a]plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah [b]was very grateful for the plant. But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, (E)It is better for me to die than to live.”

Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”

And he said, “It is right for me to be angry, even to death!”

10 But the Lord said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which [c]came up in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should I not pity Nineveh, (F)that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons (G)who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?”

Footnotes

  1. Jonah 4:6 Heb. kikayon, exact identity unknown
  2. Jonah 4:6 Lit. rejoiced with great joy
  3. Jonah 4:10 Lit. was a son of a night

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.

约拿不悦

约拿对这事非常不高兴,并且发起怒来, 就向耶和华祷告,说:“耶和华啊!我还在本国的时候,不是这样说过吗?我知道你是有恩典有怜悯的 神,不轻易发怒,并且有丰盛的慈爱,转意不降灾祸,所以我才急忙逃往他施去。 耶和华啊!现在求你取去我的性命吧,因为我死了比活着还好。”

 神安排一棵蓖麻

耶和华回答说:“你这样发怒对不对呢?”

约拿出了城,在城东坐下;他在那里搭了一座棚,坐在棚荫之下,要看看那城究竟怎样。 耶和华 神安排一棵蓖麻,使它长起来高过约拿,成了阴影遮盖他的头,免他受苦;约拿因这棵蓖麻,就大大欢畅。 次日黎明的时候, 神安排一条虫子,蛀蚀这棵蓖麻,蓖麻就枯槁了。 日出的时候, 神又安排炎热的东风。烈日晒在约拿的头上,以致发昏,他就为自己求死,说:“我死了比活着还好。”

 神问约拿:“你因这棵蓖麻这样发怒,对不对呢?”约拿说:“我发怒以至于死都是对的。”

 神教训约拿

10 耶和华说:“这棵蓖麻,不是你栽种的,也不是你使它长大的,一夜长成,一夜死去,你尚且爱惜它, 11 何况这尼尼微大城,其中不晓得分辨左右手的有十二万多人,并且有许多牲畜,我怎能不爱惜呢?”

But it displeased Yonah with a ra’ah gedolah, and he was very angry.

And he davened unto Hashem, and said, I pray Thee, Hashem, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I was quick to flee unto Tarshish before; for I had da’as that Thou art an EL CHANNUN V’RACHUM ERECH APAYIM V’RAV CHESED and relentest Thee of the ra’ah. [SHEMOT 34:6]

Therefore now, Hashem, take, I beseech Thee, my nefesh from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.

Then said Hashem, Doest thou well to be angry?

So Yonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a sukkah, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would happen to the city.

And Hashem Elohim prepared a climbing gourd, and made it to come up over Yonah, that it might be a tzel (shade) over his rosh, to deliver him from his displeasure. So Yonah had simchah gedolah about the climbing gourd.

But HaElohim prepared a tola’at (worm) when the shachar (dawn) came the next day, and it chewed the climbing gourd that it withered.

And it came to pass, when the shemesh did arise, that Elohim prepared a vehement scorching east ruach (wind); and the shemesh beat upon the rosh Yonah, that he grew faint, and wanted to [T.N. Moshiach is the Navi like Moshe, the Navi like Yonah, whom Mavet swallows and then vomits up so that he can divide the spoil with those whose chet he bears away to death like the Yom Kippur scapegoat (see Isa 53:12)]. die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.

And Elohim said to Yonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the climbing gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto mot (death).

10 Then said Hashem, Thou hast had pity on the climbing gourd, though thou hast not labored for it, neither madest it grow; which came up a ben lailah, and perished a ben lailah;

11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that ir hagedolah, wherein are more then sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their yamin (right hand) and their semol (left hand); and also much cattle?

Jonah’s Anger

Jonah was greatly displeased and became furious.(A) He prayed to the Lord,(B) ‘Please, Lord, isn’t this what I said while I was still in my own country? That’s why I fled towards Tarshish in the first place.(C) I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God,(D) slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and one who relents from sending disaster.(E) And now, Lord, take my life from me,(F) for it is better for me to die than to live.’(G)

The Lord asked, ‘Is it right for you to be angry? ’

Jonah left the city and found a place east of it.(H) He made himself a shelter there and sat in its shade to see what would happen to the city. Then the Lord God appointed a plant, and it grew over Jonah to provide shade for his head to rescue him from his trouble.[a] Jonah was greatly pleased with the plant. When dawn came the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, and it withered.(I)

As the sun was rising, God appointed a scorching east wind.(J) The sun beat down on Jonah’s head(K) so much that he almost fainted, and he wanted to die. He said, ‘It’s better for me to die than to live.’(L)

Then God asked Jonah, ‘Is it right for you to be angry about the plant? ’

‘Yes, it’s right! ’ he replied. ‘I’m angry enough to die! ’

10 And the Lord said, ‘You cared about the plant, which you did not labour over and did not grow. It appeared in a night and perished in a night. 11 So may I not care about the great city of Nineveh,(M) which has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot distinguish between their right and their left,(N) as well as many animals? ’(O)

Footnotes

  1. 4:6 Or disaster, or evil