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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jonah 4:1-4

See here, I. How unjustly Jonah quarrelled with God for his mercy to Nineveh, upon their repentance. This gives us occasion to suspect that Jonah had only delivered the message of wrath against the Ninevites, and had not at all assisted or encouraged them in their repentance, as one would think he should have done; for when they did repent, and found mercy, 1. Jonah grudged them the mercy they found (Jonah 4:1): It displeased Jonah exceedingly; and (would you think it?) he was very angry, was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 4:1

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. Jonah was "mirabilis homo", as one calls him, an "amazing man"; the strangest, oddest, and most out of the way man, for a good man and a prophet, as one shall ever hear or read of. Displeased he was at that, which one would have thought he would have exceedingly rejoiced at, the success of his ministry, as all good men, prophets, and ministers of the word, do; nothing grieves them more than the hardness of men's hearts, and the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 4:2

And he prayed unto the Lord ,.... But in a very different manner from his praying in the fish's belly: this was a very disorderly prayer, put up in the hurry of his spirit, and in the heat of passion: prayer should be fervent indeed, but not like that of a man in a fever; there should be a warmth and ardour of affection in it, but it should be without wrath, as well as without doubting: this is called a prayer, because Jonah thought it to be so, and put it up to the Lord as one. It begins in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jonah 4:3

Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me ,.... Or, "my soul" F24 את נפשי "animam meam", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellins, Piscator, Drusius, Cocceius. . This, as Drusius remarks, may be observed against those that think the soul is not immortal; for by this it appears that it my be taken from the body, and that it exists separate from it, and does not die with it; and since the body dies upon its removal, for "the body without the spirit is... 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

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

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