Jonah 4:1-4

[1] Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. [2] And he prayed and said, I pray was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. [3] Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. [4] Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?

What is the context of Jonah 4:1-4?

Jonah’s Anger at God’s Kindness (Jonah 4:1-4 true)
Jonah’s Anger and God’s Kindness (Jonah 4:1-11 true)
Jonah's Anger and the Lord 's Compassion (Jonah 4:1-11 true)
Jonah’s Anger at the Lord’s Compassion (Jonah 4:1-11 true)
Jonah’s Displeasure Rebuked (Jonah 4:1-11 true)
Jonah Is Angry at Yahweh’s Compassion (Jonah 4:1-11 true)
Jonah’s Anger at the Lord’s Mercy (Jonah 4:1-11 true)
Jonah’s Anger (Jonah 4:1-11 true)

What does Jonah 4:1-4 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The reader might assume that the Lord"s deliverance of the Ninevites from imminent doom is the climax of the story. This is not the case. The most important lesson of the book deals with God"s people and specifically God"s instruments, not humanity in general.

"Though Jonah hardly comes across as a hero anywhere in the book, he appears especially selfish, petty, temperamental, and even downright foolish in chap4." ^[1]