Jonah 4 5

Jonah 4:5 kjv

So 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 shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.

Jonah 4:5 nkjv

So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city.

Jonah 4:5 niv

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.

Jonah 4:5 esv

Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city.

Jonah 4:5 nlt

Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city.

Jonah 4 verses

Jonah 4 5 meaning

Jonah 4:5 portrays the prophet Jonah's stubborn expectation and deep resentment after God extends mercy to Nineveh. Despite God's proclaimed change of heart, Jonah distances himself from the city, establishes a temporary shelter, and waits expectantly, clinging to the hope that God will still unleash judgment upon Nineveh. This act vividly illustrates Jonah's personal conflict with God's compassionate nature and universal sovereignty.

Jonah 4 5 Context

Jonah chapter 4 opens immediately after God spares Nineveh following their repentance (Jonah 3:10). Instead of rejoicing, Jonah expresses extreme displeasure and anger to God (Jonah 4:1-3), revealing his deep-seated desire for Nineveh's destruction. He reiterates his earlier attempt to flee (Jonah 4:2), arguing that he knew God's character as merciful, which meant Nineveh's repentance would likely lead to God relenting from judgment. His prayer culminates in a plea for death (Jonah 4:3). God questions Jonah's anger (Jonah 4:4). In this immediate aftermath, Jonah retreats outside the city walls. This historical setting involved Nineveh, the capital of the oppressive Assyrian Empire, which was a formidable enemy of Israel. Jonah, a Hebrew prophet, represented a nationalistic mindset that desired God's favor for Israel alone and judgment upon its enemies, contrasting sharply with God's universal compassion demonstrated towards Nineveh. His actions in verse 5 are a direct consequence of his dissatisfaction with God's mercy and his continued hope for the city's demise.

Jonah 4 5 Word analysis

• So Jonah (וַיֵּצֵא יֹונָה - wayyēt͡sē yōnâ):
  • וַיֵּצֵא (wayyēt͡sē): From the verb יָצָא (yatsa'), meaning "to go out, to exit." The waw consecutive imperfect indicates a sequence of action, implying a direct consequence of God sparing Nineveh and Jonah's ensuing anger. This is a deliberate, active departure by Jonah, signaling his dissatisfaction.
  • יֹונָה (yōnâ): "Jonah." His personal name highlights his individual role and internal struggle in this divine drama.
  • Significance: This opening emphasizes Jonah's defiance and separation from the very people God had just saved. He is removing himself, physically expressing his alienation from God's decision.
• went out of the city (מִן־הָעִיר - min-hāʿîr):
  • מִן (min-): "From, out of." Preposition indicating separation.
  • הָעִיר (hāʿîr): "The city." Referring to Nineveh, which God had just spared.
  • Significance: His departure from Nineveh is symbolic. He has no desire to be associated with a saved Nineveh or to celebrate God's mercy. It suggests a "waiting at a distance" strategy, expecting the judgment to still come.
• and sat down (וַיֵּשֶׁב - wayyēšeḇ):
  • וַיֵּשֶׁב (wayyēšeḇ): From the verb יָשַׁב (yashav), "to sit, to dwell." Again, waw consecutive perfect, denoting another purposeful action.
  • Significance: Not merely passing through, but settling in for a vigil. He establishes a base of operations to observe, indicating patience and a determined resolve for observation.
• on the east side of it (מִקֶּדֶם לָעִיר - miqqeḏem lāʿîr):
  • מִקֶּדֶם (miqqeḏem): "From the east, eastward." Can also carry connotations of "from of old, in ancient times."
  • לָעִיר (lāʿîr): "To the city, toward the city." The 'lamed' preposition.
  • Significance: The east side was a common place for vantage points outside ancient cities, often allowing for clear views. The sun rises in the east, which would expose him to its heat, making his need for shelter evident. His chosen location reveals a calculated desire to witness whatever calamity he still anticipates.
• There he made himself a shelter (וַיַּעַשׂ לֹו שָׁם סֻכָּה - wayyaʿaś lô šām sukkāh):
  • וַיַּעַשׂ (wayyaʿaś): From עָשָׂה (ʿasah), "to make, to do." Implies intentional creation.
  • לֹו (lô): "For himself." Emphasizes his self-reliance and focus on his own comfort and purpose.
  • שָׁם (šām): "There." Location specific.
  • סֻכָּה (sukkāh): "Shelter, booth, hut." A temporary structure, usually made of branches and leaves, often associated with nomadic life or agricultural festivals (like Sukkot/Tabernacles).
  • Significance: This sukkah underscores the temporary nature of his vigil. He doesn't expect to stay permanently, just long enough to see Nineveh's destruction. The irony of using a structure associated with divine protection and provision for his impatient and judgmental watch is notable.
• and sat under it in the shade (וַיֵּשֶׁב תַּחְתֶּיהָ בַּצֵּל - wayyēšeḇ taḥteyhā baṣṣēl):
  • וַיֵּשֶׁב (wayyēšeḇ): Again, "and he sat." Continuous action.
  • תַּחְתֶּיהָ (taḥteyhā): "Under it." Referring to the sukkah.
  • בַּצֵּל (baṣṣēl): "In the shade." From צֵל (tsel), "shade, shadow." Provides relief from the desert heat.
  • Significance: Highlights his human need for comfort and survival, contrasting with his seemingly inhumane desire for Nineveh's suffering. This act of seeking shade is later juxtaposed with God providing a kikayon (gourd plant) for shade, setting up a didactic lesson for Jonah.
• till he should see what would become of the city (עַד אֲשֶׁר יִרְאֶה מַה יִּהְיֶה בָּעִיר - ʿaḏ ʾašer yirʾeh mah yihyeh bāʿîr):
  • עַד אֲשֶׁר (ʿaḏ ʾašer): "Until, till that." Denotes a duration, an ongoing expectation.
  • יִרְאֶה (yirʾeh): From רָאָה (ra'ah), "to see, to perceive, to experience." Here, it's about observing and experiencing.
  • מַה יִּהְיֶה (mah yihyeh): "What will be, what will become." A question, expressing his uncertainty but underlying hope for a specific outcome.
  • בָּעִיר (bāʿîr): "In the city, to the city." Referring to Nineveh.
  • Significance: This phrase reveals Jonah's unwavering expectation of doom. Even after God explicitly relented, Jonah refused to accept it, holding out hope that some calamity, perhaps of a different nature or on a different timetable, would still befall Nineveh. It underlines his deep-seated conviction that Nineveh deserved punishment, irrespective of their repentance and God's mercy. This act sets the stage for God's ultimate object lesson in Jonah 4:6-11.
• Words-Group Analysis:
  • "So Jonah went out of the city and sat down on the east side of it": This sequence establishes Jonah's intentional isolation and his choice of a strategic observation point. He actively separates himself to become an independent spectator, signaling his disagreement with divine mercy.
  • "There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade": This group highlights Jonah's practical self-care amidst his bitter vigil. He ensures his own comfort and protection from the elements while wishing destruction on others. This self-focus sets up a strong contrast with God's concern for the great city.
  • "till he should see what would become of the city": This phrase captures Jonah's persistent, defiant hope for divine judgment, revealing the core of his spiritual malady. His expectation shows a limited understanding of God's universal compassion.

Jonah 4 5 Bonus section

The motif of "seeing" (ra'ah) is significant throughout the book of Jonah. God "saw" their works (Jonah 3:10), leading Him to relent. Here, Jonah waits "to see" what will happen, but he expects a very different sight – that of judgment and destruction. This creates a powerful tension between divine and human perception. Jonah's self-made shelter also contrasts sharply with the "shade" that God later provides in the form of the gourd plant (Jonah 4:6), underscoring God's continued, unsolicited care for Jonah even in his obstinacy. This verse highlights a classic biblical theme of human shortsightedness and tribalism colliding with the boundless, universal love and mercy of God.

Jonah 4 5 Commentary

Jonah 4:5 profoundly captures the prophet's determined resentment and resistance to God's compassionate nature. After hearing God's decision to spare Nineveh, Jonah does not participate in the city's repentance or God's mercy. Instead, he strategically positions himself outside the city to witness, with a stubbornly held hope, what he believes should be its inevitable destruction. His building of a temporary sukkah for shade highlights both his basic human need for comfort in the harsh climate and the ironic contrast with his spiritual state: he cares for his own physical well-being while withholding any sympathy or joy for the survival of tens of thousands. This act sets the stage for God's further, profound object lesson on mercy and value of life that follows in the subsequent verses. It illustrates a prophet acting against the very heart of the God he serves, deeply rooted in nationalistic prejudice over divine grace.