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Jonah’s Anger

But this was a great evil to Jonah, and he became (A)angry. And he (B)prayed to Yahweh and said, “Ah! O Yahweh, was not this my word to myself while I was still in my own land? Therefore I went ahead to (C)flee to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a (D)gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning evil. So now, O Yahweh, please (E)take my [a]life from me, for death is (F)better to me than life.” And Yahweh said, “Do you have good reason to be angry?”

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Footnotes

  1. Jonah 4:3 Lit soul

Jonah Is Angry at Yahweh’s Compassion

And this[a] was greatly displeasing[b] to Jonah, and he became furious.[c] And he prayed to Yahweh and said, “O Yahweh, was this not what I said[d] while I was in my homeland? Therefore I originally fled[e] to Tarshish, because I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and having great steadfast love,[f] and one who relents concerning calamity.[g] And so then, Yahweh, please take my life from me, because for me death is better than life!” And Yahweh said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”[h]

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Footnotes

  1. Jonah 4:1 Hebrew “it”
  2. Jonah 4:1 Literally “was displeasing with great displeasure”
  3. Jonah 4:1 Literally “it was hot for him”
  4. Jonah 4:2 Literally “my word”
  5. Jonah 4:2 Literally “I did the first time to flee”
  6. Jonah 4:2 Literally “and great of steadfast love”
  7. Jonah 4:2 That is, calamity sent by God as judgment
  8. Jonah 4:4 Literally “Rightfully is it hot for you”; some take this to mean “Are you so very angry?” (Targum Jonah 4:4; see also JPS, NEB, NET)