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Irritation de Jonas et reproches de Dieu

Jonas le prit très mal et fut irrité. Il pria l'Eternel en disant: «Ah! Eternel, n'est-ce pas ce que je disais quand j'étais encore dans mon pays? C'est ce que je voulais éviter en fuyant à Tarsis. En effet, je savais que *tu es un Dieu de grâce et de compassion, lent à la colère et riche en bonté, et qui regrettes le mal que tu envoies[a]. Maintenant, Eternel, prends-moi donc la vie, car mourir vaut mieux pour moi que vivre.» L'Eternel répondit: «Fais-tu bien de t'irriter?»

Jonas sortit de la ville et s'assit à l’est de la ville. Là il se fit une cabane et s'y tint à l'ombre en attendant de voir ce qui arriverait dans la ville. L'Eternel Dieu fit pousser une plante qui s'éleva au-dessus de Jonas pour donner de l'ombre à sa tête et le délivrer de son mal. Jonas éprouva une grande joie à cause de cette plante, mais le lendemain à l'aurore, Dieu fit venir un ver qui la rongea, et la plante sécha.

Au lever du soleil, Dieu fit souffler un vent chaud d’est, et le soleil frappa la tête de Jonas au point qu'il tomba en défaillance. Il demanda la mort en disant: «Il vaut mieux pour moi mourir que vivre.» Dieu dit à Jonas: «Fais-tu bien de t'irriter à cause de la plante?» Il répondit: «Je fais bien de m'irriter jusqu'à la mort.» 10 L'Eternel dit: «Tu as pitié de la plante qui ne t'a coûté aucune peine et que tu n'as pas fait pousser, qui est née une nuit et qui a disparu l’autre nuit, 11 et moi, je n'aurais pas pitié de Ninive, la grande ville, dans laquelle se trouvent plus de 120'000 êtres humains incapables de distinguer leur droite de leur gauche et un grand nombre d’animaux!»

Footnotes

  1. Jonas 4:2 Tu es un Dieu… envoies: même présentation en Joël 2.13.

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.