Jonah 4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:5

So Jonah went out of the city - I believe this refers to what had already passed; and I therefore agree with Bp. Newcome, who translates, "Now Jonah Had gone out of the city, and Had sat," etc.; for there are many instances where verbs in the preterite form have this force, the ו vau here turning the future into the preterite. And the passage is here to be understood thus: When he had delivered his message he left the city, and went and made himself a tent, or got under some shelter on... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:6

And the Lord God prepared a gourd - I believe this should be rendered in the preterpluperfect tense. The Lord Had prepared this plant, קיקיון kikayon . It had in the course of God's providence been planted and grown up in that place, though perhaps not yet in full leaf; and Jonah made that his tent. And its thick branches and large leaves made it an ample shelter for him, and because it was such, he rejoiced greatly on the account. But what was the kikayon ? The best judges say the ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:7

But God prepared a worm - By being eaten through the root, the plant, losing its nourishment, would soon wither; and this was the case in the present instance. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:8

A 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 prevails so much both in Egypt and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:9

I do well to be angry, even unto death - Many persons suppose that the gifts of prophecy and working miracles are the highest that can be conferred on man; but they are widely mistaken, for the gifts change not the heart. Jonah had the gift of prophecy, but had not received that grace which destroys the old man and creates the soul anew in Christ Jesus. This is the love of which St. Paul speaks, which if a man have not, though he had the gift of prophecy, and could miraculously remove... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:10

Which came up in a night - St. Jerome, speaking of this plant, the kikayon , assigns to it an extraordinary rapidity of growth. It delights in a sandy soil, and in a few days what was a plant grows into a large shrub. But he does not appear to have meant the ricinus ; this however is the most likely. The expressions coming up in a night and perishing in a night are only metaphorical to express speedy growth and speedy decay; and so, as we have seen, the Chaldee interprets it, אבד אוחרנא... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:11

And should not I spare Nineveh - In Jonah 4:10 ; it is said, thou hast had pity on the gourd, חסת אתה attah Chasta ; and here the Lord uses the same word, אחוס לא ואני veani lo Achus , "And shall not I have pity upon Nineveh?" How much is the city better than the shrub? But besides this there are in it one hundred and twenty thousand persons! And shall I destroy them, rather than thy shade should be withered or thy word apparently fail? And besides, these persons are young, and... read more

John Calvin

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

Verse 1 Jerome commends this grief of Jonah, and compares it to the holy zeal of Paul when he wished himself to be an anathema for his brethren, (Romans 9:3 :) for he denies that he grieved because God had showed mercy to so illustrious a city; but because the conversion of the Gentiles was a certain presage of the destruction of the chosen people. As then Jonah perceived as in a mirror the near ruin of Israel, he on this account grieved, if we believe Jerome: but this notion is extremely... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:2

Verse 2 It seems by no means befitting that Jonah should have said here that he prayed; for prayer ought to be calm; but he confesses that his mind was in a state of excitement. As then anger was burning within the Prophet, how could he come before God and utter a suitable prayer? And further, what is the end of praying, but to confess that whatever good is to be obtained resides in God, and is to be sought humbly from him? But Jonah here, on the contrary, expostulates and clamors against God;... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:3

Verse 3 We here see how angry Jonah was in his zeal: for this prayer cannot certainly be ascribed to his faith, as some think, who say that Jonah took a flight as it were in his soul to heaven, when he made this prayer, as though he dreaded not death, but having been divested of all fear, being free and disengaged, he presented himself to God. I do not think that the mind of Jonah was so heroic. There is indeed no doubt, as I have already said, but that he still retained some seed of piety; and... read more

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:6

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:8

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:9

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:10

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:11

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

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:2

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jonah 4:3

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