New International Version
Jonah 4:8
8When 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.”
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.
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed.
Context of Jonah 4:8
6Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 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.” 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.
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 4:6Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant.
- Jonah 1:4Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.
- Ezekiel 19:12But it was uprooted in fury and thrown to the ground. The east wind made it shrivel, it was stripped of its fruit; its strong branches withered and fire consumed them.
- Revelation 3:19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.
- Psalms 121:6the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
- Isaiah 49:10They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.
- Revelation 7:16‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat.
- Jonah 4:3Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
- Leviticus 10:3Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke of when he said: “ ‘Among those who approach me I will be proved holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.’ ” Aaron remained silent.
- 1 Samuel 3:18So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.”
- 2 Samuel 15:25Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again.
- Job 2:10He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
- Psalms 39:9I was silent; I would not open my mouth, for you are the one who has done this.
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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