☰ Jonah 4
4
Yahweh teaches Jonah that he has/shows mercy and compassion
1  But when Yahweh did not punish Nineveh, this distressed/displeased Jonah very much! And he became very angry. (The people in Nineveh were not Jews, and Jonah did not think that God should act mercifully toward people who were enemies to the Jews.)
2  So, 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 sinfulpeoplewhen they repent. complainedYouYouyou,you,allowItIt 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."
4  Yahweh replied, "Why are you angry that I have not destroyed the city?" ItWhyWhy*not
5  Jonah did not reply. He went out from the city to its east side. He made a small shelter so that he could sit under it and be protected from the sun. He sat under the shelter and waited to see what would happen to the city.
6  Then Yahweh God caused a vine to grow up immediately to shade Jonah's head from the sun and make him feel more comfortable. Jonah was very happy about having the vine over his head. HeHe 7  But before dawn the next day, God sent a worm that chewed the vine, with the result that the vine withered. 8  Then, 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
9  But God asked Jonah, "Is it right/good for you to be angry because the vine died?" IsIsYes,
10  But Yahweh said to him, "You feel sorry about my causing that vine to wither, even though you did not make it grow and you did not care for it. It just grew up during one night, and it completely withered during the next night. 11  But there are more than 120,000 people in Nineveh who do not know right from wrong (and they are more valuable than that vine). There are also many animals/livestock/cows in Nineveh. So, it is right for me to show compassion to the people who live in that huge city and not want to destroy them!" whowhothereititshow*†‡§*†‡§*†‡§*†‡§
complained 4:2 OR prayed [with bitterness] You 4:2 love people very much OR You keep your promises to people You 4:2 love people very much The Hebrew word *khesed *remains the foremost characteristic for God, meaning covenant loyalty. The Greek equivalent is “faithful(ness)”. you, 4:2 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, 4:2 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 4:2 me to die OR kill me now It 4:2 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 4:2 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. It 4:4 is better for me to die than to *continue to* live OR I do not want to live. I want to die. Why 4:4 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 4:4 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 4:4 destroyed* *OR spared OR saved* He 4:6 went out from the city to its east *side* OR He went out through the main gate and sat down near the city (*where he could overlook the city) * He 4:6 went out from the city to its east *side* The Hebrew word *qedem* may mean ‘front’ or ‘east’. (NET2 note)There is a theme in Scripture, that when people go “east”, this indicates that they are going into exile or separating themselves from Yahweh. a 4:8 worm OR an insect OR a bug Is 4:9 it right for you to be angry because the plant died? OR You have no right to be angry just because this plant died/withered OR You should not be angry that the plant withered! Is 4:9 it right for you to be angry because the plant died? This may be a rhetorical question, not a real question. Yes, 4:9 it is right! Now I am very angry and I want to die! OR I am right to be angry so much that I wish I were dead. who 4:11 do not know right from wrong OR who do not know that they are living not knowing about My laws/ways OR who do not know the difference between their right hand and their left hand who 4:11 do not know right from wrong The Hebrew here says literally, “people who do not know the difference between their right and left hands”. Some scholars think this is referring to children. That is possible, but this is probably an idiom meaning that the people, no matter their age, have no discernment, no education, or no knowledge about God’s teaching on what is true and what is not true. Translate it so that it communicates a clear meaning. there 4:11 are also many animals/livestock/cows OR there are also many herds/cattle (*and none among these have done anything to displease me.*) it 4:11 is right for me OR Is it not right/good for me OR Therefore I should it 4:11 is right for me This may be a rhetorical question or a real question that Yahweh asks Jonah, so that Jonah will reconsider and repent of his bad attitude. (God is making a strong distinction between Jonah's attitude and his behavior.) But we do not hear Jonah’s response. The book intentionally ends with this question or statement, so that people hearing this book will think about it for themselves. show 4:11 compassion to OR feel sorry for * 4:11 Passage Overview: Once again, Yahweh commands his prophet Jonah to go to Israel’s enemies In Nineveh city. He was supposed to preach to them to repent so that God would not destroy them. This time, Jonah obeys the Lord, but he is not happy when the Ninevites repent and Yahweh does not destroy them. Jonah is angry that the city is saved, so Yahweh sends a hot wind, a leafy vine and a worm to try and reason with Jonah about his bad attitude and lack of compassion for people. Background Info: Historical context: Prominent Themes: † 4:11 ● The pagan kingdom of Assyria, of which Nineveh was the capitol, was an enemy nation to Israel. Assyria raided and abused other nations. Nineveh was directly north of Israel, accessible by land travel. ‡ 4:11 ● (2Kings 14:25) Jonah, a Jewish prophet of Yahweh, was alive during the reign of Jeroboam II, king of Israel, about 700 years before Jesus' birth. ● Sometime after Jonah's story, about 615 B.C., the prophet Nahum prophesied the downfall of Assyria and Nineveh (Nahum 1-3).. ● In 612 B.C. God destroyed Nineveh for their wicked ways. (Their repentance did not last long.) § 4:11 ● God wants people in all nations to repent and so to be saved. ● God is compassionate and patient. ● Psalm 135:6 shows God’s sovereign power by using/commanding, for his purposes, big and small creatures, plants and human devices for discerning (i.e., casting lots), the sea and wind, wicked people, to teach people about himself. ● Jeremiah 18:7-10 shows how God can and does change his mind (repent) about doing what he said he would do depending on people’s actions, responses and prayers. * 4:11 Passage Overview: Yahweh commands his prophet Jonah to go to Israel’s enemies In Nineveh city. He was supposed to preach to them to repent so that God would not destroy them. Jonah refuses Yahweh’s command and tries to run away, going in the opposite direction. Yahweh sends storms, people and animals to redirect Jonah, causing him to repent and obey. Background Info: Historical context: Prominent Themes: † 4:11 ● Jonah was thrown into the ocean and a large fish swallowed him alive. Now he prays to Yahweh from inside the fish. ‡ 4:11 ● Jonah is inside a large fish for 3 days and 3 nights praying/repenting, and then Yahweh causes him to be “raised/resurrected” back to life which will be a signal for Messiah § 4:11 ● God is compassionate and patient. ● God spoke through Jonah's words, and he also used Jonah's life as a prophetic message to signal the identity of the promised Messiah (Matt. 12:40). * 4:11 Passage Overview: Yahweh commands his prophet Jonah to go to Israel’s enemies In Nineveh city. He was supposed to preach to them to repent so that God would not destroy them. Jonah refuses Yahweh’s command and tries to run away, going in the opposite direction. Yahweh sends storms, people and animals to redirect Jonah, causing him to repent and obey. Background Info: Historical context: Prominent Themes: † 4:11 ● The pagan kingdom of Assyria, for which Nineveh was the capitol, was an enemy nation to Israel. Assyria raided and abused other nations. Nineveh was directly north of Israel, accessible by land travel. ● Tarshish was far to the west of Israel, accessible only by boat travel, across the Mediterranean Sea. ‡ 4:11 ● (2Kings 14:25) Jonah, a Jewish prophet of Yahweh, was alive during the reign of Jeroboam II, king of Israel, about 700 years before Jesus' birth. ● Sometime after Jonah's story, about 615 B.C., the prophet Nahum prophesied the downfall of Assyria and Nineveh (Nahum 1-3).. ● In 612 B.C. God destroyed Nineveh for their wicked ways. (Their repentance did not last long.) § 4:11 ● down versus up; the chaotic sea versus the “safe” dry land ● God wants people in all nations to repent and so to be saved. ● God is compassionate and patient. ● God spoke through Jonah's words, and he also used Jonah's life as a prophetic message to signal the identity of the promised Messiah (Matt. 12:40). ● Psalm 135:6 shows God’s sovereign power by using/commanding, for his purposes, big and small creatures, plants and human devices for discerning (i.e., casting lots), the sea and wind, wicked people, to teach people about himself. ● Jeremiah 18:7-10 shows how God can and does change his mind (repent) about doing what he said he would do depending on people’s actions, responses and prayers. * 4:11 Passage Overview: Once again, Yahweh commands his prophet Jonah to go to Israel’s enemies In Nineveh city. He was supposed to preach to them to repent so that God would not destroy them. This time, Jonah obeys the Lord, but he is not happy when the Ninevites repent and Yahweh does not destroy them. Jonah is angry that the city is saved, so Yahweh sends a hot wind, a leafy vine and a worm to try and reason with Jonah about his bad attitude and lack of compassion for people. Background Info: Historical context: Prominent Themes: † 4:11 ● The pagan kingdom of Assyria, of which Nineveh was the capitol, was an enemy nation to Israel. Assyria raided and abused other nations. Nineveh was directly north of Israel, accessible by land travel. ‡ 4:11 ● Sometime after Jonah's story, about 615 B.C., the prophet Nahum prophesied the downfall of Assyria and Nineveh (Nahum 1-3).. ● In 612 B.C. God destroyed Nineveh for their wicked ways. (Their repentance did not last long.) § 4:11 ● God wants people in all nations to repent and so to be saved. ● God is compassionate and patient. ● Psalm 135:6 shows God’s sovereign power by using/commanding, for his purposes, big and small creatures, plants and human devices for discerning (i.e., casting lots), the sea and wind, wicked people, to teach people about himself. ● As in Jonah, Jeremiah 18:7-10 shows how God can and does change his mind (repent) about doing what he said he would do depending on people’s actions, responses and prayers.
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