New King James Version
Jonah 4:8
8And 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.”
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 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
6And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. 7But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. 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.” 9Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “It is right for me to be angry, even to death!” 10But the Lord said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night.
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 4:6And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant.
- Jonah 1:4But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.
- Ezekiel 19:12But she was plucked up in fury, She was cast down to the ground, And the east wind dried her fruit. Her strong branches were broken and withered; The fire consumed them.
- Revelation 3:19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
- Psalms 121:6The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night.
- Isaiah 49:10They shall neither hunger nor thirst, Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them.
- Revelation 7:16They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat;
- Jonah 4:3Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”
- Leviticus 10:3And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.’ ” So Aaron held his peace.
- 1 Samuel 3:18Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.”
- 2 Samuel 15:25Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, He will bring me back and show me both it and His dwelling place.
- Job 2:10But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
- Psalms 39:9I was mute, I did not open my mouth, Because it was You who did it.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries