God’s Word Translation
Jonah 4:2
2So he prayed to the Lord, “Lord, isn’t this what I said would happen when I was still in my own country? That’s why I tried to run to Tarshish in the first place. I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, patient, and always ready to forgive and to reconsider your threats of destruction.
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
1Jonah was very upset about this, and he became angry. So he prayed to the Lord, “Lord, isn’t this what I said would happen when I was still in my own country? That’s why I tried to run to Tarshish in the first place. I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, patient, and always ready to forgive and to reconsider your threats of destruction. 3So now, Lord, take my life. I’d rather be dead than alive.” 4The Lord asked, “What right do you have 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he prayedפָּלַלpâlal · to prayH6419
- unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- I prayאָֽנָּ֫א'ân'â 'ânnâh · Please!H577
- not this my sayingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: speakingH1697
- when I was yet in my countryאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: countryH127
- Therefore I fledבָּרַחbârach · to fleeH1272
- beforeקָדַםqâdam · to meetH6923
- unto Tarshishתַּרְשִׁישׁtarshîysh · TarshishH8659
- for I knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- a graciousחַנּוּןchannûn · graciousH2587
- Godאֵל'êl · GodH410
- and mercifulרַחוּםrachûm · compassionateH7349
- slowאָרֵךְ'ârêk · slowH750
- to angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
- and of greatרַבrab · manyH7227
- kindnessחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617
- and repentestנָחַםnâcham · to be sorry: relentH5162
- thee of the evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451
Cross-references for Jonah 4:2
- 1 Kings 19:4Then he traveled through the wilderness for a day. He sat down under a broom plant and wanted to die. “I’ve had enough now, Lord,” he said. “Take my life! I’m no better than my ancestors.”
- Jeremiah 20:7O Lord, you have deceived me, and I was deceived. You overpowered me and won. I’ve been made fun of all day long. Everyone mocks me.
- Jonah 1:3Jonah immediately tried to run away from the Lord by going to Tarshish. He went to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid for the trip and went on board. He wanted to go to Tarshish to get away from the Lord.
- Luke 10:29But the man wanted to justify his question. So he asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”
- Exodus 34:6Then he passed in front of Moses, calling out, “The Lord, the Lord, a compassionate and merciful God, patient, always faithful and ready to forgive.
- Numbers 14:18‘The Lord … patient, forever loving…. He forgives wrongdoing and disobedience…. He never lets the guilty go unpunished, punishing children … for their parents’ sins to the third and fourth generation….’
- Psalms 78:38But he is compassionate. He forgave their sin. He did not destroy them. He restrained his anger many times. He did not display all of his fury.
- Psalms 86:5You, O Lord, are good and forgiving, full of mercy toward everyone who calls out to you.
- Psalms 145:8The Lord is merciful, compassionate, patient, and always ready to forgive.
- Hosea 11:8“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboim? I have changed my mind. I am deeply moved.
- Joel 2:13Tear your hearts, not your clothes. Return to the Lord your God. He is merciful and compassionate, patient, and always ready to forgive and to change his plans about disaster.
- Micah 7:18Who is a God like you? You forgive sin and overlook the rebellion of your faithful people. You will not be angry forever, because you would rather show mercy.
- Jonah 3:10God saw what they did. He saw that they turned from their wicked ways. So God reconsidered his threat to destroy them, and he didn’t do it.
- Exodus 32:14So the Lord reconsidered his threat to destroy his people.
- Psalms 90:13Return, Lord! How long … ? Change your plans about ⌞us,⌟ your servants.
- Jeremiah 18:8But suppose the nation that I threatened turns away from doing wrong. Then I will change my plans about the disaster I planned to do to it.
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
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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