New International Version
Jonah 4:11
11And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”
Jonah 4:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
- English Standard Version (ESV)And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”
Context of Jonah 4:11
9But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” “It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.” 10But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”
Read all of Jonah 4Jonah 4:11 word by word
וַֽאֲנִי֙ לֹ֣א אָח֔וּס עַל־נִינְוֵ֖ה הָעִ֣יר הַגְּדוֹלָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶשׁ־בָּ֡הּ הַרְבֵּה֩ מִֽשְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה רִבּ֜וֹ אָדָ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יָדַע֙ בֵּין־יְמִינ֣וֹ לִשְׂמֹאל֔וֹ וּבְהֵמָ֖ה רַבָּֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And should not I spareחוּסchûs · to pityH2347
- Ninevehנִינְוֵהnîynevêh · NinevehH5210
- that greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- wherein areיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
- moreרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
- than sixscoreעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
- than sixscoreשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- thousandרִבּוֹribbô ribbô' · ten thousandH7239
- personsאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- that cannot discernיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- between their right handיָמִיןyâmîyn · rightH3225
- and their left handשְׂמֹאלώemô'l ώem'ôl · leftH8040
- muchרַבrab · manyH7227
- cattleבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
Cross-references for Jonah 4:11
- Jonah 4:1But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry.
- Isaiah 1:18“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
- Matthew 18:33Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’
- Luke 15:28“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.
- Jonah 1:2“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
- Jonah 3:2“Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”
- Deuteronomy 1:39And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it.
- Psalms 36:6Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
- Psalms 104:14He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth:
- Psalms 145:8The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
Commentaries on Jonah 4:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11And should not I spare Nineveh - In Jonah 4:10; it is said, thou hast had pity on the gourd, חסת אתה attah Chasta ; and here the Lord uses the same word, אחוס לא ואני veani lo Achus, "And shall not I have pity upon Nineveh?" How much is the city better than the shrub? But besides this there are in it one hundred and twenty thousand persons! And shall I destroy them, rather than thy shade should be withered or thy word apparently fail? And besides, these…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Should I not spare? - literally “have pity” and so “spare.” God waives for the time the fact of the repentance of Nineveh, and speaks of those on whom man must have pity, those who never had any share in its guilt, the 120,000 children of Nineveh, “I who, in the weakness of infancy, knew not which hand, “the right” or “the left,” is the stronger and fitter for every use.” He who would have spared Sodom “for ten‘s sake,” might well be thought to spare…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. 11who cannot tell their right hand from their left: God sent his message through his prophetic word in a wicked city. Not everyone who encounters God's light responds positively (see John 3:19–21), but God wants to save those who genuinely repent and have faith. The book ends suddenly, prompting the reader to consider God's final question to Jonah. God prefers to save rather than destroy. Those who have received his mercy should be happy for that same mercy…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 10-1110-11. The main lesson of the book. If Jonah so pities a plant which cost him no toil to rear, and which is so short lived and valueless, much more must Jehovah pity those hundreds of thousands of immortal men and women in great Nineveh whom He has made with such a display of creative power, especially when many of them repent, and seeing that, if all in it were destroyed, "more than six score thousand" of unoffending children, besides "much cattle,"…Read the comment
Topics related to Jonah 4:11
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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