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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
4:1-4 Jonah's Angry Prayer. The sixth episode parallels the third (1:17-2:10) and focuses on Jonah's self-centeredness and hypocrisy. Both episodes have the same structure:
4:1 it displeased Jonah exceedingly (cf. the ESV footnote, "it was exceedingly evil to Jonah"). In the previous episode (see 3:10) the pagans got rid of their "evil" and God got rid of the "disaster" he had threatened (both Hb. ra‘ah). The pagans are in harmony with God, but Jonah is not, as he alone is now characterized by "displeasure" (or "evil"; Hb. ra‘ah).
4:2 This is Jonah's second prayer; the repetition of prayed to the Lord (see 2:1) invites the reader to compare the two. gracious God . . . relenting from disaster. These same words occur in Joel 2:13 as the basis for hope (see Ex. 34:6-7; Neh. 9:17; Ps. 145:8). Ironically, this standard confession of the compassionate character of God is the root of Jonah's anger. Steadfast love, when extended to Jonah, filled him with thanksgiving (Jonah 2:8), but when extended to the Ninevites, filled him with anger.
4:3 My life translates Hebrew napshi ("my soul"), and to live translates Hebrew khayyay ("my life"). These two expressions occur in Jonah's first prayer, where he is grateful that his "life" was brought up from the pit (2:6) and his fainting "life/soul" was revived (2:7). Ironically, when God extends the same mercy to the Ninevites, Jonah wishes his "life" and "soul" to be taken.
