Darby Bible
Jonah 4:2
2And he prayed unto Jehovah, and said, Ah, Jehovah, was not this my saying when I was yet in my country? Therefore I was minded to flee at first unto Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious 1God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving-kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
Jonah 4:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
- New International Version (NIV)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 that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he prayed to the Lord and said, "O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.
- New King James Version (NKJV)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 fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.
Context of Jonah 4:2
1And it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed unto Jehovah, and said, Ah, Jehovah, was not this my saying when I was yet in my country? Therefore I was minded to flee at first unto Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving-kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. 3And now, Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live. 4And Jehovah said, Doest thou well to be angry?
Read all of Jonah 4Jonah 4:2 word by word
וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל אֶל־יְהוָ֜ה וַיֹּאמַ֗ר אָנָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ הֲלוֹא־זֶ֣ה דְבָרִ֗י עַד־הֱיוֹתִי֙ עַל־אַדְמָתִ֔י עַל־כֵּ֥ן קִדַּ֖מְתִּי לִבְרֹ֣חַ תַּרְשִׁ֑ישָׁה כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּ֤י אַתָּה֙ אֵֽל־חַנּ֣וּן וְרַח֔וּם אֶ֤רֶךְ אַפַּ֙יִם֙ וְרַב־חֶ֔סֶד וְנִחָ֖ם עַל־הָרָעָֽה׃Read the interlinear
- prayedפָּלַלpâlal · to prayH6419
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- wasהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- Thereforeכֵּןkên · rightH3651
- fleeבָּרַחbârach · to fleeH1272
- Tarshishתַּרְשִׁישׁtarshîysh · TarshishH8659
- knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- graciousחַנּוּןchannûn · graciousH2587
- Godאֵל'êl · GodH410
- angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
- greatרַבrab · manyH7227
- evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451
Cross-references for Jonah 4:2
- 1 Kings 19:4And he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a certain broom-bush, and requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough: now, Jehovah, take my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
- Jeremiah 20:7Jehovah, thou hast enticed me, and I was enticed; thou hast laid hold of me, and hast prevailed; I am become a derision the whole day: every one mocketh me.
- Jonah 1:3But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah; and he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish, from the presence of Jehovah.
- Luke 10:29But he, desirous of justifying himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
- Exodus 34:6And Jehovah passed by before his face, and proclaimed, Jehovah, Jehovah God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in goodness and truth,
- Numbers 14:18Jehovah is slow to anger, and abundant in goodness, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but by no means clearing [the guilty], visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the third and fourth [generation].
- Psalms 78:38But he was merciful: he forgave the iniquity, and destroyed [them] not; but many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his fury:
- Psalms 86:5For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, and art of great loving-kindness unto all that call upon thee.
- Psalms 145:8Jehovah is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great loving-kindness.
- Hosea 11:8How shall I give thee over, Ephraim? [how] shall I deliver thee up, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? [how] shall I set thee as Zeboim? My heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.
- Joel 2:13and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto Jehovah your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving-kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
- Micah 7:18Who is a God like unto thee, that forgiveth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in loving-kindness.
- Jonah 3:10And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil that he had said he would do unto them, and he did [it] not.
- Exodus 32:14And Jehovah repented of the evil that he had said he would do to his people.
- Psalms 90:13Return, Jehovah: how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
- Jeremiah 18:8if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, then I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
Commentaries on Jonah 4:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2I know that thou art a gracious God - See the note on Exodus 34:6.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2And he prayed unto the Lord - Jonah, at least, did not murmur or complain of God. He complained to God of Himself. He expostulates with Him. Shortsighted indeed and too wedded to his own will! Yet his will was the well-being of the people whose prophet God had made him. He tells God, that this it was, which he had all along dreaded. He softens it, as well as he can, by his word, “I pray Thee,” which expresses deprecation anti-submissiveness. Still he does…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Jonah explains why he initially ran away from the Lord (Jonah 1:3): He knew the Lord would spare the wicked Ninevites if they repented. I knew: Jonah almost quotes Exodus 34:6–7, which is about Israel’s covenant with the Lord. Even in the Old Testament, God wanted to spread salvation to all nations (see Matthew 28:18–20).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. my saying--my thought, or feeling. fled before--I anticipated by fleeing, the disappointment of my design through Thy long-suffering mercy. gracious ... and merciful, &c.--Jonah here has before his mind Ex 34:6; as Joel (Joe 2:13) in his turn quotes from Jonah.Read the comment
Topics related to Jonah 4:2
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. Jonah 4:2 4.2 El ↩
Commentaries on Jonah 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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