Jonah’s Displeasure Rebuked
1 But it greatly displeased Jonah, and he became angry. 2 Then he prayed to the Lord and said, "Please Lord, was this not 4:2 Lit my wordwhat I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore in anticipation of this I fled to Tarshish, since I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in mercy, and One who relents of disaster. 3 So now, Lord, please take my 4:3 Lit soullife from me, for death is better to me than life." 4 But the Lord said, "Do you have a good reason to be angry?"
10 Then the Lord said, "You had compassion on the plant, for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which 4:10 Lit was a son of a nightcame up overnight and perished 4:10 Lit a son of a nightovernight. 11 Should I not also have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 people, who do not know the difference between their right hand and their left, as well as many animals?"