BibleWord.ai› Bible› Jonah› Chapter 4› Verse 9

Jonah 4:9

Old Testament Minor Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Jonah 4:9 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.
Jonah 4:9 — American Standard Version

Context — Jonah 4

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
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.
9And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.
10And Jehovah said, Thou hast had regard for the gourd, for which thou hast not labored, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:
11and should not I have regard for Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
← Jonah 4:8Jonah 4:10 →
← 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
“And God said to Jonah, dost thou well to be angry for the gourd? etc.] Or, “art thou very angry for it?” as the Targum: no mention is made of the blustering wind and scorching sun, because the gourd or plant raised up over him would have protected him from the injuries of both, had it continued; and it was for the loss of that that Jonah was so displeased, and in such a passion. This question is put in order to draw out the following answer, and so give an opportunity of improving this affair to the end for which it was designed: and he said, I do well to be angry, [even] unto death; or, “I am very angry unto death”, as the Targum; I am so very angry that I cannot live under it for fretting…”
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
“(See on ). I do well to be angry, even unto death--"I am very much grieved, even to death" [FAIRBAIRN]. So the Antitype ().”
Read attributed excerpt →
Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Doest thou well to be angry? - o “See again how Almighty God, out of His boundless lovingkindness, with the yearning tenderness of a father, almost disporteth with the guileless souls of the saints! The palm-christ shades him: the prophet rejoices in it exceedingly. Then, in God’s Providence, the caterpillar attacks it, the burning East wind smites it, showing at the same time how very necessary the relief of its shade, that the prophet might be the more grieved, when deprived of such a good. He asketh him skillfully, was he very grieved? and that for a shrub? He confesseth, and this becometh the defense for God, the Lover of mankind.” I do well to be angry, unto death - o “Vehement anger…”
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
“I do well to be angry - If in the violence of this passion I should die (as some have) yet were I not to blame. What a speech! Verily the law made nothing perfect! Jonah 4:10”
Read attributed excerpt →
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Doest thou well to be angry: or, Art thou greatly angry, Jon 4:4 I do well to be angry: or, I am greatly angry, Gen 4:5-14; Job 18:4, Job 40:4, Job 40:5 even: Jdg 16:16; Job 5:2; Mat 26:38; Co2 7:10; Rev 9:6 Jonah 4:10”
Read attributed excerpt →

Related study paths

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

Sources and verification