Jonah 4:2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Summary

And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, 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.

He prayed

1 Kings 19:4

Jeremiah 20:7

I fled

Jonah 1:3

Luke 10:29

Thou art

And of

Amos 7:3

General references

Exodus 32:14

Amos 7:6

Bible References

He prayed

Elijah walked a whole day into the wilderness. He stopped and sat down under a broom plant and wished he would die. It is just too much, Jehovah, he prayed. Take away my life. I could just as well be dead.

O Jehovah, You have deceived me. I was deceived! You have overcome me and prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me.

I fled

Jonah tried to run away from the presence of Jehovah (YHWH). He went to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and boarded it to go with them to Tarshish away from the presence of Jehovah.

Desiring to justify himself, he said to Jesus: Who is my neighbor?

Thou art

Jehovah then passed in front of him and called out: I, Jehovah, am a God who is full of compassion and pity. I am not easily angered and show great love and faithfulness.

Jehovah is patient, forever loving; He forgives wrongdoing and disobedience. He never lets the guilty go unpunished. In fact he punishes children for their parents' sins to the third and fourth generation.

But he is compassionate. He forgave their sin. He did not destroy them. He restrained his anger many times. He did not display all of his fury.

You, O Jehovah, are good and forgiving, full of loving kindness toward everyone who calls out to you.

Jehovah is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in loving-kindness.

How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me. All my compassion is aroused.

Rip apart your heart, and not your garments. Turn to Jehovah your God! He is gracious and merciful. He is slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness. He will turn back from doing harm.

Who is a God like you who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? You do not keep your anger forever, because you delight in loving-kindness (unchanging love).

And of

God saw their works! That they turned from their evil way. God turned back from the deed that he said he would do to them. He did not do it.

So Jehovah changed his mind and did not bring disaster on his people as he threatened.

Return, O Jehovah! How long? Change your plans about us, your servants.

However if the nation that I threatened turns away from doing wrong. Then I will change my plans about the disaster I planned to do to it.

Jehovah changed his mind about this. It will not be, said Jehovah.

General references

So Jehovah changed his mind and did not bring disaster on his people as he threatened.

Jehovah changed his mind concerning this: This also will not be, said the Lord Jehovah.