Jonah’s Anger at the Lord’s Compassion

4 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry.^{(A) 2} He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew^(B) that you are a gracious^(C) and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love,^(D) a God who relents^(E) from sending calamity.^{(F) 3} Now, Lord, take away my life,^(G) for it is better for me to die^(H) than to live.”^(I)

⁴ But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”^(J)

⁵ Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city.

⁸ When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die,^(A) and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”