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Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Jonah 4:6

God continued to manifest compassion for Jonah by providing him with a shading plant that relieved the discomfort (Heb. ra’ah) of the blistering Mesopotamian sun. This is the only time that we read that Jonah was happy, and it was because he was physically comfortable. His anger grew out of his personal discomfort resulting from God’s mercy on the Ninevites. The Hebrew word ra’ah, translated "discomfort" here, is the same word translated "evil" when it describes the Ninevites’ evil (Jonah 1:2;... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:1-11

Jonah’s Jealousy contrasted with Jehovah’s Compassion1. Jonah’s anger has a double cause, wounded pride that his words are proved false, and indignation that the God of Israel should pity heathen, only fit to be fuel for fire. 3. A striking parallel to the dejection and disappointment of Elijah (1 Kings 19).4. Doest thou well to be angry?] RM ’Art thou greatly angry?’ A kindly remonstrance to awake better feelings. Jonah makes no reply yet, but goes and sits in his booth to watch whether, after... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Jonah 4:6

(6) Prepared.—See Note, Jonah 1:17.A gourd.—So the LXX. render the Hebrew qiqaion, which, since the time of Jerome, has been usually identified with the Arabic el keroa, the castor-oil tree (Ricinus communis, or Palma Christi; see margin). It is a large shrub, having large palmate leaves, with serrated lobes, and spikes of blossoms which produce the seed, whence the well-known medicinal oil is extracted, in small rough husks. The strongest argument in favour of this view is the proposed... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Jonah 4:1-11

Jonah 4:0 These are those, I am afraid, who would rather see their neighbours suffer than their own forebodings fail. Jonah is not the only Prophet of evil whom it has displeased exceedingly, and who has been very angry, because God is a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. The beautiful apologue of the gourd is still, and, I fear ever will be applicable to many. Julius Hare in Guesses at Truth. Jonah's Character Jonah 4:1 ... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Jonah 4:1-11

ISRAEL’S JEALOUSY OF JEHOVAHJonah 4:1-11HAVING illustrated the truth, that the Gentiles are capable of repentance unto life, the Book now describes the effect of their escape upon Jonah, and closes by revealing God’s full heart upon the matter.Jonah is very angry that Nineveh has been spared. Is this (as some say) because his own word has not been fulfilled? In Israel there was an accepted rule that a prophet should be judged by the issue of his predictions: "If thou say in thine heart, How... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Jonah 4:1-11

CHAPTER 4 Jonah’s Discontent and Correction 1. Jonah’s discontent (John 4:1-3 ) 2. The correction (John 4:4-11 ) John 4:1-3 . All that had happened displeased Jonah exceedingly and he was very angry. Did he feel that he had lost his prestige as a prophet, having announced the overthrow of Nineveh, when it did not happen? What he feared had come true; God had been merciful to this great city and they were now enjoying what he considered Israel’s exclusive inheritance. Instead of rejoicing... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Jonah 4:6

4:6 And the LORD God prepared a {f} gourd, and made [it] to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.(f) Which was a further means to cover him from the heat of the sun, as he remained in his booth. read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Jonah 4:1-11

A MISGUIDED PATRIOT LEARNS OBEDIENCE There is only one instance of Jonah’s prophesying to his own people of Israel, 2 Kings 14:25 . There he made a prediction concerning the restoration of the coasts of Israel, which was fulfilled in the reign of Jeroboam 2 about 800 B.C., showing that he lived earlier than that date. Of his personal history nothing further is known than what is found in this book. Jonah 1:0 Nineveh (Jonah 1:2 ) was the capital of Assyria, and the reason Jonah sought to... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Jonah 4:5-8

I cannot sufficiently admire, nor adore, the condescending benignity of the Lord, in the tender method the Lord took to recover the Prophet from his petulance. Reader! look at the Lord in those gracious acts, and then say what a blessed proof is here given of his own character; the Lord, the Lord God! merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. Exodus 34:5-6 . read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Jonah 4:6

The Lord God prepared an ivy. Hederam. In the Hebrew it is kikajon, which some render a gourd; others a palmerist, or palma Christi. (Challoner) --- This latter is now the common opinion. St.Jerome explains it of a shrub growing very fast in the sandy places of Palestine. He did not pretend (Calmet) that hedera, or ivy, as Aquila translates, (Haydock) was the precise import; but he found no Latin term more resembling, (Calmet) as he observes here and in his letter to St. Augustine, who had... read more

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