Jonah 4

Jona is much vexed when Gods sparing of Nineveh and complains of it to the Lord verse 1c. Reproves him for it and by the wonder-tree doth instruct and convince him 6. c.

1. This Jona vexed at with great vexation [Hebrew and it was seemed or did evil to or by Jona with great evil or illness that is it pleased him very ill it vexed distempered troubled him very much c. as the Hebrew phrase is often taken see Genesis 21 on verse 11 and 40 on verse 7 Proverbs 15:15 Eccle. 7.3 the meaning is that was much displeased and afflicted in his mind fearing through humane frailty that Gods honour and truth might suffer by it and himself he counted a false prophet ; perceiving well enough by the repentance come in betwixt and so much of the time already passed by or otherwise by divine revelation that Nineve would spared this time .Whether this happened before or after the time of the forty days is not set down here] and his anger kindled [Heb it viz the anger kindled him see below verse 49.]

2. And he preyed unto the Lord [in this ignorance and passion he nevertheless addresseth himself to God from his face he whose face he fled formerly]and said ;Ah Lord was not this my word [that is that which I said viz by myself heretofore that is did not I think once thus it would happen ?yea verily would he say therefore c.]when I was in my country yet ? therefore I prevented it fleeing to Tharsis for I knew thou art a gracious and merciful God [Jona goes about here to excuse his flight not with standing that he was severely chastised for it by God]long suffering [see Exod 34 on verse 6] and great of kindness and repenting of the evil [as about chapter 3,9,10.]

3. Now then Lord take I pray my soul from me [see Genesis 35 on verse 18 and 1 Kings 19 on verse 4] for it is better for me to die then to live [Heb my death is better then life that is I would rather be dead then live any longer or I prefer death life compare Job 10:1.]

4. And the Lord said is thine anger with justly kindled ? [Heb is that fewell kindled thus some do understand as if God should say is it equal or just that should be incensed thus ? implying by no means but very wrongfully and without any reason thou sinnest in doing so others understand it as if God said art thou in good earnest so much and servently heated ? by comparing verse 9 below and more frequent use of the Heb word for ,earnestly ,seriously, perfectly, to the purpose ,for which we use to say indeed angry &c. that is very angry see of the significance Deuteronomy 9:21 and 14 and 17.4 and 19.18 and 23.8 .2 Kings 11:8 Isiah 1.13 Mich 7.3 both ways the prophet is reproved for his anger the former reflecting on unreasonableness the latter on the eagerness of it which wanting ground was sinful.]

5. Now Jona forth out of the city [or for Jona was gone forth c.so that this and the sequel should be a declaration of what was said bfore of Jona’s anger and of God’s reproving of it in general] and seated himself against the east of the city and he made himself a booth there and sat under it in the shadow till he should see what would become of the city or happen in the city that is whether they would hold out these 40 days in their repentance and whether thereupon God would spare them or not .]

6. And God the Lord appointed [see above chapter 1 on verse 17]and wonder-tree [Heb Kikajon of this plant there are various conjectours the chiefest this expositor hold it now for the palma Christi otherwise called the great spurge which used to grow much in Egypt and was known there by the name Kike it greweth up very suddenly and higher than a mans length with great broad laves and being of a cooling nature see Dodonaus in his herbal]and caused it to shoot up above Jona for to be shadow over his head [his own cover probably being withered and made unserviceable by the heat of the sun]to deliver him from his vexation [that is by this expected refreshment to allay and qualifie his discontent spoken of before in the beginning of this chapter and by the consequence afterwards to instruct and settle him again Heb ill or illness see above on verse 1] and Jona rejoiced over the wonder-tree with great joy [because of the pleasant and refreshing commodiousness which he had thereby not considered what it was God intended by it]

7. But God appointed [as before verse 6 and so again in the next] a worm on the second day in the rising of the day-break which pierced [Heb smote that is pierced or hurt c. compare Genesis 8 on verse 21 and Hos 9 on verse 16 and here the next verse]the wonder-tree that it withered .

8. And it came to pass when the sun arose that God appointed a still east wind [or silent deaf which the Hebrew word hints at that is a calm east wind which one could hardly feel or hear and consequently could but little allay the heat of the sun shining so much the hotter upon Jona]and the sun pierced [Heb smote] the head of Jona that he fainted [or swuned that is was far from swooning and expiring]and he wished his soul might die [or desired for his soul that is himself his person compare Judges 16.30c.]and said and said it is better for me to die than to live [as above verse 3]

9. Then God said to Jona is thine anger justly kindled?[as above verse 4] at the and he said mine anger is justly kindled even to death [see verse 4 with the annotate]

10. And the Lord said thou sparest the wonder-tree [that is thou wouldest gladly have seen it spared and continue in a flourishing condition thou tookest pity of it c.]for which thou tookest no pain nor madest it great [that is dist not bring it up] which grew in one night and perished a son of one night that is they decayed in one night that is which they decayed in one night as it was grown up in one night an Hebraism compare the annotate Genesis 5.32c.]

11. And should I not spare that great city Nineve ? where there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand men [Heb twelve million or twelve times ten thousand]that know no difference between their right hand and their left hand [that is small and young children and infants which are not come up yet to their years of discretion and are more to be valued than the wonder-tree which thou art so passionately affected with]besides much cattle? [which likewise is much to be preferred before that hereupon Jona being convinced doth make no further reply .]