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Jonah’s Anger at the LORD’s Compassion

Verse1Jonah, however, was greatly displeased, and he became angry.

Verse2So he prayed to the LORD, saying, “O LORD, is this not what I said while I was still in my own country? This is why I was so quick to flee toward Tarshish. I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion—One who relents from sending disaster.

Verse3And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

Verse4But the LORD replied, “Have you any right to be angry?”

Verse5Then Jonah left the city and sat down east of it, where he made himself a shelter and sat in its shade to see what would happen to the city.

Verse6So the LORD God appointed a vine, and it grew up to provide shade over Jonah’s head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was greatly pleased with the plant.

Verse7When dawn came the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant so that it withered.

Verse8As the sun was rising, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint and wished to die, saying, “It is better for me to die than to live.”

Verse9Then God asked Jonah, “Have you any right to be angry about the plant?” “I do,” he replied. “I am angry enough to die!”

Verse10But the LORD said, “You cared about the plant, which you neither tended nor made grow. It sprang up in a night and perished in a night.

Verse11So should I not care about the great city of Nineveh, which has more than 120,000 people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well?”