3:1–4:11
God 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.
Study notes
Jonah 4
4:1
however: See study note on Jonah 3:10.
4:1–7
The story changes in a surprising way. Jonah, who had received God’s mercy himself, complains that the Lord has shown mercy to the Assyrians. The prophet’s disrespectful response emphasizes how great God’s grace truly is (see Jonah 4:8–11 for God's response).
4:1–11 Section
Jonah’s anger started when God’s anger stopped. He thought that he was right to be angry. He thought that God was wrong to stop being angry. Jonah didn’t want God to show his tender love to the Assyrians.
People from the family line of Jacob considered the Assyrians to be outsiders. The Assyrians had treated God’s people badly for many years. Jonah wanted God to bring judgement against them and destroy them.
Jonah cared about the plant that God had caused to grow. The plant gave him shade and made him feel comfortable. Jonah’s anger grew when the plant died. He cared more about the plant than he did about human beings from Assyria.
God cared about the plant and took care of it. He also cared about Jonah and about the people and the animals of Nineveh. God had made himself known to Moses as the God who is tender and kind. God is gracious and slow to get angry. God is faithful and full of love (Exodus 34:6).
Jonah understood that God was tender, kind and full of love for the Israelites (Israel). But Jonah didn’t want God to be that way for the people of Nineveh. God showed Jonah that he was full of love for everything and everyone that he created. This included those whom God’s people considered to be their enemies.
4:2
Jonah 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).
4:3–5
Jonah’s desire to die rather than accept God’s will (see also Jonah 4:8–9) and his choice to wait in hope that the city would be destroyed (Jonah 4:5) show his hard heart (his refusal to change or show mercy) and his hatred for the Assyrians.
4:4
The Lord responds with a rhetorical question, implying the answer is "No, of course not!" The lesson that follows shows why Jonah should not be angry (Jonah 4:6–11).
4:6
LORD is the English title used in many Bible translations to represent God’s covenant name, Yahweh, in his relationship with Israel(see, for example, Psalm 72:18). God did these things to show his covenant love toward Jonah and those in Israel with similar attitudes.
appointed: see study note on Jonah 1:17.
4:11
who 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 to be shown to others, even their enemies.
Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources