New English Translation
Jonah 4:8
8When the sun began to shine, God sent a hot east wind. So the sun beat down on Jonah’s head, and he grew faint. So he despaired of life, and said, “I would rather die than live!”
Jonah 4:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
- New International Version (NIV)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, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, "It is better for me to die than to live."
- New King James Version (NKJV)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, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
Context of Jonah 4:8
6The Lord God appointed a little plant and caused it to grow up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to rescue him from his misery. Now Jonah was very delighted about the little plant. 7So God sent a worm at dawn the next day, and it attacked the little plant so that it dried up. When the sun began to shine, God sent a hot east wind. So the sun beat down on Jonah’s head, and he grew faint. So he despaired of life, and said, “I would rather die than live!” 9God said to Jonah, “Are you really so very angry about the little plant?” And he said, “I am as angry as I could possibly be!” 10The Lord said, “You were upset about this little plant, something for which you have not worked nor did you do anything to make it grow. It grew up overnight and died the next day.
Read all of Jonah 4Jonah 4:8 word by word
וַיְהִ֣י׀ כִּזְרֹ֣חַ הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ וַיְמַ֨ן אֱלֹהִ֜ים ר֤וּחַ קָדִים֙ חֲרִישִׁ֔ית וַתַּ֥ךְ הַשֶּׁ֛מֶשׁ עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ יוֹנָ֖ה וַיִּתְעַלָּ֑ף וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל אֶת־נַפְשׁוֹ֙ לָמ֔וּת וַיֹּ֕אמֶר ט֥וֹב מוֹתִ֖י מֵחַיָּֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it came to pass, when the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
- did ariseזָרַחzârach · to riseH2224
- that Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- preparedמָנָהmânâh · to countH4487
- a vehementחֲרִישִׁיchărîyshîy · scorchingH2759
- eastקָדִיםqâdîym qâdim · eastH6921
- windרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
- beatנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- upon the headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- of Jonahיוֹנָהyônâh · JonahH3124
- that he faintedעָלַף‛âlaph · to enwrapH5968
- and wishedשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
- in himselfנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: myselfH5315
- to dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- for me to dieמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
- than to liveחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416
Cross-references for Jonah 4:8
- Jonah 4:6The Lord God appointed a little plant and caused it to grow up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to rescue him from his misery. Now Jonah was very delighted about the little plant.
- Jonah 1:4But the Lord hurled a powerful wind on the sea. Such a violent tempest arose on the sea that the ship threatened to break up!
- Ezekiel 19:12But it was plucked up in anger; it was thrown down to the ground. The east wind dried up its fruit; its strong branches broke off and withered – a fire consumed them.
- Revelation 3:19All those I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent!
- Psalms 121:6The sun will not harm you by day, or the moon by night.
- Isaiah 49:10They will not be hungry or thirsty; the sun’s oppressive heat will not beat down on them, for one who has compassion on them will guide them; he will lead them to springs of water.
- Revelation 7:16They will never go hungry or be thirsty again, and the sun will not beat down on them, nor any burning heat,
- Jonah 4:3So now, Lord, kill me instead, because I would rather die than live!”
- Leviticus 10:3Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke: ‘Among the ones close to me I will show myself holy, and in the presence of all the people I will be honored.’” So Aaron kept silent.
- 1 Samuel 3:18So Samuel told him everything. He did not hold back anything from him. Eli said, “The Lord will do what he pleases.”
- 2 Samuel 15:25Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s sight he will bring me back and enable me to see both it and his dwelling place again.
- Job 2:10But he replied, “You’re talking like one of the godless women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?” In all this Job did not sin by what he said.
- Psalms 39:9I am silent and cannot open my mouth because of what you have done.
Commentaries on Jonah 4:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8A vehement east wind - Which was of itself of a parching, withering nature; and the sun, in addition, made it intolerable. These winds are both scorching and suffocating in the East, for deserts of burning sand lay to the east or south-east; and the easterly winds often brought such a multitude of minute particles of sand on their wings, as to add greatly to the mischief. I believe these, and the sands they carry, are the cause of the ophthalmia which…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8God prepared a vehement - o(The English margin following the Chaldee, “silent,” i. e., “sultry”). East wind - The winds in the East, blowing over the sand-deserts, intensely increase the distress of the heat. A sojourner describes on two occasions an Assyrian summer. “The change to summer had been as rapid as that which ushered in the spring. The verdure of the plain had perished almost in a day. Hot winds, coming from the desert, had burned up and…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-11Verses 5-11 Jonah went out of the city, yet remained near at hand, as if he expected and desired its overthrow. Those who have fretful, uneasy spirits, often make troubles for themselves, that they may still have something to complain of. See how tender God is of his people in their afflictions, even though they are foolish and froward. A thing small in itself, yet coming seasonably, may be a valuable blessing. A gourd in the right place may do us more…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-11God commands Jonah again to preach to Nineveh. This time, Jonah obeys. Ironically, the city repents, just as Jonah feared, and he becomes angry with God.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. vehement--rather, "scorching"; the Margin, "silent," expressing sultry stillness, not vehemence.Read the comment
Topics related to Jonah 4:8
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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