BibleWord.ai› Bible› Jonah› Chapter 4› Verse 3

Jonah 4:3

Old Testament Minor Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Jonah 4:3 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Therefore now, O Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Therefore now, O Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
Jonah 4:3 — American Standard Version

Context — Jonah 4

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.
2And he prayed unto Jehovah, and said, I pray thee, O Jehovah, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I hasted to flee unto Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
3Therefore now, O Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
4And Jehovah said, Doest thou well to be angry?
5Then Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city.
6And Jehovah God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to deliver him from his evil case. So Jonah was exceeding glad because of the gourd.
← Jonah 4:2Jonah 4:4 →
← Full Chapter 4 Jonah Overview

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me, etc.] Or, “my soul”f70. 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 dead”, as James says; death is expressed by this phrase, (<182708>Job 27:8 <440833> Acts 8:33); here Jonah allows that God is the God of life, the author and giver of it, and is the sole disposer of it; it is in his own power to take it away, and not man’s: so far Jonah was right, that he did not in his passion attempt…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Jonah's impatience of life under disappointed hopes of Israel's reformation through the destruction of Nineveh, is like that of Elijah at his plan for reforming Israel (1Ki. 18:1-46) failing through Jezebel ().”
Read attributed excerpt →
Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Therefore now, O Lord, take I beseech Thee my life from me - He had rather die, than see the evil which was to come upon his country. Impatient though he was, he still cast himself upon God. By asking of God to end his life, he, at least, committed himself to the sovereign disposal of God . “Seeing that the Gentiles are, in a manner, entering in, and that those words are being fulfilled, Deuteronomy 32:21. “They have moved Me to jealousy with” that which is “not God, and I will move them to jealousy with” those which are “not a people, I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation,” he despairs of the salvation of Israel, and is convulsed with great sorrow, which bursts out into words…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Than to live - Disgraced and upbraided by hardened sinners, who will brand me for a liar. Jonah 4:5”
Read attributed excerpt →
Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“4:3-5 Jonah’s desire to die rather than embrace God’s will (see also 4:8-9), and his willingness to wait in hope that the city would be destroyed (4:5), are signs of his hard-heartedness and his hatred for the Assyrians.”
Read attributed excerpt →
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“take: Num 11:15, Num 20:3; Kg1 19:4; Job 3:20, Job 3:21, Job 6:8, Job 6:9; Jer 20:14-18; Phi 1:21-25 for: Jon 4:8; Job 7:15, Job 7:16; Ecc 7:1; Co1 9:15 Jonah 4:4”
Read attributed excerpt →

Related study paths

Read Jonah 4 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification