Jonah 4

Jonah’s Anger at God’s Mercy

1 But this made Jonah extremely upset, and he got angry.

2 He prayed to the LORD and said, “Is not this what I said when I was still in my own land, That is why I ran to Tarshish in the first place. I knew You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and full of faithful love, One who relents from sending disaster.

3 So now, LORD, just take my life from me, because it is better for me to die than to live.”

4 The LORD said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

The Plant, the Worm, and the Wind

5 Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side. He made himself a shelter there and sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would happen to the city.

6 Then the LORD God appointed a plant, and it grew up over Jonah to give shade over his head and ease his discomfort. Jonah was very happy about the plant.

7 But at dawn the next day God appointed a worm, and it attacked the plant so that it withered.

8 When the sun came up, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head so hard he became faint. He wanted to die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”

9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “Yes, it is right for me to be angry, even to death.”

10 Then the LORD said, “You cared about the plant, which you did not work for or grow. It came up overnight and died overnight.

11 Should I not care about Nineveh, that great city, where more than one hundred twenty thousand people do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?”