Jonah 4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 4:7

But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day ,.... That God that prepared this plant to rise so suddenly, almost as soon prepared a worm to destroy it; for it rose up one night, continued one whole day, to the great delight of Jonah; and by the morning of the following day this worm or grub was prepared in, it, or sent to it, to the root of it: this shows that God is the Creator of the least as well as the largest of creatures, of worms as well as whales, contrary to the notion... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 4:8

And it came to pass when the sun did arise ,.... After that the gourd was smitten and withered; when it was not only risen, but shone out with great force and heat: that God prepared a vehement east wind ; or, "a deafening east wind" F21 חרישית "surdefacientem", Munster; "ex surdentem", Montanus; "surdum", Drusius. ; which blew so strong, and so loud, as R. Marinus in Aben Ezra and Kimchi say, made people deaf that heard it: or, "a silencing east wind"; which when it blew, all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 4:9

And God said to Jonah, dost thou well to be angry for the gourd ?.... Or, "art thou very angry for it?" as the Targum: no mention is made of the blustering wind and scorching sun, because the gourd or plant raised up over him would have protected him from the injuries of both, had it continued; and it was for the loss of that that Jonah was so displeased, and in such a passion. This question is put in order to draw out the following answer, and so give an opportunity of improving this affair... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 4:10

Then said the Lord, thou hast had pity on the gourd ,.... Or, "hast spared it" F3 חסת "pepercisiti", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus, Burkius; "pepercisses", Piscator. ; that is, would have spared it, had it lain in his power, though but a weeds and worthless thing: for the which thou hast not laboured ; in digging the ground, and by sowing or planting it; it being raised up at once by the Lord himself, and not by any, human art and industry; nor by any of his: neither madest it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 4:11

And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city ?.... See Jonah 1:2 ; what is such a gourd or plant to that? wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons ; or twelve myriads; that is, twelve times ten thousand, or a hundred and twenty thousand; meaning not all the inhabitants of Nineveh; for then it would not have appeared to be so great a city; but infants only, as next described: that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand ; do not know one from another;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4

Jonah, dreading to be thought a false prophet, repines at God's mercy in sparing the Ninevites, whose destruction he seems to have expected, from his retiring to a place without the city about the close of the forty days. But how does he glorify that mercy which he intends to blame! And what an amiable posture does he give of the compassion of God! Jonah 4:1-5 . This attribute of the Deity is still farther illustrated by his tenderness and condescension to the prophet himself, who, with all... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:1

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly - This hasty, and indeed inconsiderate prophet, was vexed because his prediction was not fulfilled. He had more respect to his high sense of his own honor than he had to the goodness and mercy of God. He appeared to care little whether six hundred and twenty thousand persons were destroyed or not, so he might not pass for a deceiver, or one that denounced a falsity. And he was very angry - Because the prediction was not literally fulfilled; for he... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:2

I know that thou art a gracious God - See the note on Exodus 34:6 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:3

Take, I beseech thee, my life from me - נפשי את נא קח kach na eth naphshi , "Take, I beseech thee, even my Soul." Do not let me survive this disgrace. Thou hast spared this city. I thought thou wouldst do so, because thou art merciful and gracious, and it was on this account that I refused to go at first, as I knew that thou mightest change thy purpose, though thou hadst commanded me to make an absolute denunciation of judgment. God has left this example on record to show that an... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:4

Doest thou well to be angry? - לך הרה ההיטב haheitib harah lac , "Is anger good for thee?" No, anger is good for no man; but an angry preacher, minister, bishop, or prophet, is an abominable man. He who, in denouncing the word of God against sinners, joins his own passions with the Divine threatenings, is a cruel and bad man, and should not be an overseer in God's house. A surly bishop, a peevish, passionate preacher, will bring neither glory to God, nor good to man. Dr. Taylor renders... read more

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