Jonah’s Anger
1 Jonah was greatly displeased and became furious. y 2 He prayed to the LORD: z “Please, LORD, isn’t this what I thought while I was still in my own country? That’s why I fled toward Tarshish in the first place. a I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, b slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and one who relents from sending disaster. c 3 And now, LORD, take my life from me, d for it is better for me to die than to live.” e
4 The LORD asked, “Is it right for you to be angry? ”
5 Jonah left the city and found a place east of it. f He made himself a shelter there and sat in its shade to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the LORD God appointed a plant, and it grew over Jonah to provide shade for his head to rescue him from his trouble. J Jonah was greatly pleased with the plant. 7 When dawn came the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, and it withered. g
8 As the sun was rising, God appointed a scorching east wind. h The sun beat down on Jonah’s head i so much that he almost fainted, and he wanted to die. He said, “It’s better for me to die than to live.” j
9 Then God asked Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant? ”
“Yes, it’s right! ” he replied. “I’m angry enough to die! ”
10 So the LORD said, “You cared about the plant, which you did not labor over and did not grow. It appeared in a night and perished in a night. 11 But may I not care about the great city of Nineveh, k which has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot distinguish between their right and their left, l as well as many animals? ” m