BibleWord.ai› Bible› Jonah› Chapter 4› Verse 5

Jonah 4:5

Old Testament Minor Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Jonah 4:5 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Then 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.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Then 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.
Jonah 4:5 — American Standard Version

Context — Jonah 4

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
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.
7But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd, that it withered.
8And it came to pass, when the sun arose, that God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
← Jonah 4:4Jonah 4:6 →
← 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
“So Jonah went out of the city, etc.] Had not the inhabitants of it repented, he had done right to go out of it, and shake the dust of his feet against it; or, in such a case, had he gone out of it, as Lot out of Sodom, when just going to be overthrown; but Jonah went out in a sullen fit, because it was to be spared; though some render the words, “now Jonah had gone out of the city”f73; that is, before all this passed, recorded in the preceding verses; and so Aben Ezra observes, that the Scripture returns here to make mention of the affairs of Jonah, and what happened before the accomplishment of the forty days: and sat on the east side of the city; where he might have very probably a good…”
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
“made him a booth--that is, a temporary hut of branches and leaves, so slightly formed as to be open to the wind and sun's heat. see what would become of the city--The term of forty days had not yet elapsed, and Jonah did not know that anything more than a suspension, or mitigation, of judgment had been granted to Nineveh. Therefore, not from sullennesss, but in order to watch the event from a neighboring station, he lodged in the booth. As a stranger, he did not know the depth of Nineveh's repentance; besides, from the Old Testament standpoint he knew that chastening judgments often followed, as in David's case (, ), even where sin had been repented of. To show him what he knew not, the…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“So Jonah went out of the city - o, The form of the words implies (as in the English Version), that this took place after Jonah was convinced that God would spare Nineveh; and since there is no intimation that he knew it by revelation, then it was probably after the 40 days . “The days being now past, after which it was time that the things foretold should be accomplished, and His anger as yet taking no effect, Jonah understood that God had pity on Nineveh. Still he does not give up all hope, and thinks that a respite of the evil has been granted them on their willingness to repent, but that some effect of His displeasure would come, since the pains of their repentance bad not equalled their…”
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
“A booth - Some small and mean shed, probably of green boughs. 'Till he might see - It seems the forty days were not fully expired. Jonah 4:6”
Read attributed excerpt →
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Jonah: Jon 1:5; Kg1 19:9, Kg1 19:13; Isa 57:17; Jer 20:9 till: Gen 19:27, Gen 19:28; Jer 17:15, Jer 17:16; Luk 19:41-44 Jonah 4:6”
Read attributed excerpt →

Related study paths

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

Sources and verification