1But it displeased Jonah exceedingly , and he was angry . 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 .
God's Lesson Through the Plant
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 .
God's Compassion for Nineveh
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?