Jonah 4 10

Jonah 4:10 kjv

Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:

Jonah 4:10 nkjv

But the LORD said, "You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night.

Jonah 4:10 niv

But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight.

Jonah 4:10 esv

And the LORD said, "You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night.

Jonah 4:10 nlt

Then the LORD said, "You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly.

Jonah 4 verses

Jonah 4 10 Meaning

This verse reveals God's paternal care for His creation, contrasting it with Jonah's petty self-concern. God's concern extends even to the unreasoning gourd, emphasizing His boundless mercy and the ethical blindness of Jonah. It highlights that growth, responsibility, and labor are foundational to valuing life, whether human or botanical.

Jonah 4 10 Context

This verse concludes the book of Jonah. After Jonah preached repentance to Nineveh, the city was spared God's judgment. Jonah became angry. God then providentially grew a plant to shade Jonah, who rejoiced. The next day, God sent a worm to destroy the plant, and a scorching east wind beat on Jonah. Jonah was furious and wanted to die. The Lord then rebuked Jonah for his exaggerated grief over the plant, posing this question. The historical context is the flourishing of the Assyrian empire, with Nineveh as its capital. The primary audience would have understood the significance of repentance and divine mercy, perhaps in contrast to their own national dealings with enemies.

Jonah 4 10 Word Analysis

• But (Hebrew: וְ, wə): A conjunctive particle indicating continuation or contrast. Here it introduces God's response and contrasts His perspective with Jonah's.

• the LORD (Hebrew: יְהוָה, YHWH): The covenant name of God, emphasizing His faithfulness and relationship with His people.

• said (Hebrew: אָמַר, ʾāmar): To speak or communicate.

• You have been concerned (Hebrew: חַס, ḥās): This verb conveys distress, pain, or pity. It shows Jonah's emotional investment.

• about the plant (Hebrew: הַקִּיקָיוֹן, haqqiqāyōn): Refers to the large leafy plant, likely a castor-oil plant or similar, noted for its rapid growth and broad leaves providing shade.

• in which you did not labor (Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר לֹא עָמַלְתָּ בּוֹ, ʾăšer lō ʿāmaltā bō): This highlights that Jonah contributed no effort to its growth. He did not plant, tend, or water it.

• and (Hebrew: וְ, wə): Connective.

• which (Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר, ʾăšer): Relative pronoun.

• you did not cause to grow (Hebrew: לֹא גִדַּלְתָּ, lō gidaltā): Jonah had no role in its springing up or maturation. Its existence was purely providential.

• it came up in a night (Hebrew: בְּלַיְלָה בָּא, bəlayəlā bā’): Emphasizes the suddenness of its appearance, a work of God's power.

• and (Hebrew: וְ, wə): Connective.

• perished in a night (Hebrew: בְּלַיְלָה אָבַד, bəlayəlā ʾāvaḏ): Its destruction was also rapid, pointing again to divine action.

• Word group analysis: "You have been concerned about the plant in which you did not labor and which you did not cause to grow..."

  • This phrase underscores the asymmetry in Jonah's emotional investment. He felt intensely about something that cost him nothing and required no effort. This contrasts with his earlier attitude toward the Ninevites, whom he had labored to see judged, not spared. His concern was misdirected, valuing a fleeting plant over potentially thousands of human lives.

Jonah 4 10 Bonus Section

This verse is a poignant critique of human spiritual immaturity. It speaks to the tendency to focus on immediate personal comfort or displeasure rather than the broader scope of God's purposes. The plant symbolizes ephemeral blessings, and the worm and wind represent the transient nature of worldly comforts. Jonah's reaction foreshadows the attitude of some who would reject Christ based on misplaced loyalties or political expectations, rather than embracing God’s salvation extended to all through faith. Jesus Himself utilized similar object lessons, like the parable of the sower, where the outcome of seeds depended on the soil (which represents human response), hinting at the active role humans play in spiritual reception and growth. God’s question forces Jonah, and by extension the reader, to re-evaluate where true spiritual value lies—in transient, effortless gains or in God's sovereign, merciful actions and His enduring kingdom.

Jonah 4 10 Commentary

God challenges Jonah's emotional disproportion. Jonah was deeply invested in a temporary plant that he neither cultivated nor sustained. Its rapid appearance and disappearance mirrored God's swift judgment and mercy toward Nineveh. God highlights that human effort and connection create legitimate attachment and value. Jonah had labored for Nineveh's destruction, and though he ended up with compassion for them, he lacked this fundamental work and therefore the genuine value that stems from it. God, as the Creator and sustainer of all life, has a righteous claim to care for His vast creation, far beyond Jonah's narrow focus. The verse implies that true value comes from engagement, labor, and the recognition of God's ultimate stewardship over all things. Jonah’s outburst reveals his shallow understanding of divine compassion and his self-centered spiritual perspective.