Jonah 4:6

6. Jehovah God As in Genesis 2:4. Both names are used to indicate that God, mentioned as supreme so frequently in the book, and Jehovah, the God of Jonah, are identical.

Prepared See on Jonah 1:17 (compare Jonah 4:7).

Gourd This translation of the Hebrew word, which occurs only here (6-10), is based upon LXX. The plant meant is the Palma Christi, or castor-oil plant ( Ricinus communis). It is described by Jerome as being very abundant in Palestine, growing especially in sandy places. The same author (so also Pliny) calls attention to its rapid growth: “In a very few days what you saw as nothing but a herb you now look upon as a small tree.” Its broad leaves are admirably adapted to protect against the sun.

Made it to come up Or, it came up over the booth erected by Jonah; thus it protected the prophet’s head against the rays of the sun.

To deliver him from his grief R.V., “from his evil case.” A.V. seems to have in mind the displeasure of Jonah (Jonah 4:1), as if the offered shade could remove the irritation and displeasure. But his trouble was so deep-seated that the “gourd” could hardly do away with it.

It is better to think of the heat of the sun beating upon the prophet’s head. This affliction (so the Hebrew might be rendered), which may have increased the bitterness of his spirit, the plant was to remove. Most commentators consider the words a later interpolation.

Jonah was exceeding glad When the sun burned him no longer. It is not unlikely that with the heat went some of his bitterness.