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.
This verse contains Jonah's astonishing confession explaining why he initially fled to Tarshish—he knew God would show mercy to Nineveh, and he didn't want that to happen. His prayer quotes the classic Old Testament formula describing God's character (Exodus 34:6-7, Numbers 14:18, Psalm 86:15, Joel 2:13), yet Jonah cites it as a complaint rather than praise. This reveals the shocking reality that one can know correct theology about God while having a heart utterly opposed to God's purposes.
"For I knew that thou art a gracious God" (channun) emphasizes God's favor and compassion extended to the undeserving. "And merciful" (rachum) derives from the Hebrew word for womb, suggesting mother-like tenderness and compassion. "Slow to anger" (erekh appayim, literally "long of nostrils") uses imagery of delayed breathing associated with anger—God's patience extends far beyond human standards. "And of great kindness" (rav-chesed) speaks of abundant loyal love and covenant faithfulness. Finally, "and repentest thee of the evil" (venicham al-hara'ah) describes God's willingness to relent from announced judgment when people repent.
Jonah's problem wasn't ignorance of God's character but resentment of it. He wanted God to be gracious to Israel but wrathful toward their enemies. This exposes a persistent human tendency: we want mercy for ourselves and our tribe while demanding strict justice for others. Jonah preferred Nineveh's destruction even though 120,000 people would perish (4:11). His nationalist prejudice and thirst for vengeance overrode compassion for lost souls. Yet God's heart extends beyond ethnic and national boundaries to all who will repent and turn to Him.
Historical Context
Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, the brutal empire that would eventually conquer the northern kingdom of Israel (722 BC) with horrific cruelty—impalement, flaying alive, mass deportations. Assyrian kings boasted in their annals about atrocities committed against conquered peoples. For an Israelite prophet, Nineveh represented everything evil and threatening. Jonah prophesied during Jeroboam II's reign (2 Kings 14:25), around 760 BC, when Assyria was temporarily weakened but would soon reemerge as Israel's destroyer.
Jonah's reluctance to preach repentance to Nineveh makes sense from a human perspective—why save your nation's future executioners? Yet his reaction reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of God's purposes. God's covenant with Abraham promised blessing to all nations through Abraham's seed (Genesis 12:3, 22:18), not blessing exclusively for Abraham's physical descendants while cursing everyone else. Jonah wanted God's character to be selectively applied: mercy for Israel, wrath for Gentiles.
The book of Jonah stands as a rebuke to Jewish nationalism and an anticipation of the gospel's universal scope. Jesus referenced Jonah's three days in the fish as a sign of His death and resurrection, while condemning His generation for not repenting like Nineveh did (Matthew 12:39-41). The early church struggled with the same prejudice Jonah displayed when Gentiles began believing—Peter needed a vision to accept that God shows no partiality (Acts 10), and Jewish believers initially resisted the Gentile mission (Acts 11:1-18, 15:1-11). Paul's ministry to Gentiles faced constant opposition from those who, like Jonah, couldn't accept God's mercy extending beyond their ethnic group.
Questions for Reflection
In what ways do you struggle with wanting God's mercy for yourself while desiring His judgment on others?
How does Jonah's prayer expose the danger of knowing correct theology while harboring a sinful heart attitude?
What ethnic, national, or cultural groups do you (consciously or unconsciously) exclude from God's mercy and grace?
How should this passage shape Christian attitudes toward enemies, persecutors, or those who threaten us?
What does God's patience with Jonah (not immediately judging his rebellion) reveal about His character?
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Analysis & Commentary
This verse contains Jonah's astonishing confession explaining why he initially fled to Tarshish—he knew God would show mercy to Nineveh, and he didn't want that to happen. His prayer quotes the classic Old Testament formula describing God's character (Exodus 34:6-7, Numbers 14:18, Psalm 86:15, Joel 2:13), yet Jonah cites it as a complaint rather than praise. This reveals the shocking reality that one can know correct theology about God while having a heart utterly opposed to God's purposes.
"For I knew that thou art a gracious God" (channun) emphasizes God's favor and compassion extended to the undeserving. "And merciful" (rachum) derives from the Hebrew word for womb, suggesting mother-like tenderness and compassion. "Slow to anger" (erekh appayim, literally "long of nostrils") uses imagery of delayed breathing associated with anger—God's patience extends far beyond human standards. "And of great kindness" (rav-chesed) speaks of abundant loyal love and covenant faithfulness. Finally, "and repentest thee of the evil" (venicham al-hara'ah) describes God's willingness to relent from announced judgment when people repent.
Jonah's problem wasn't ignorance of God's character but resentment of it. He wanted God to be gracious to Israel but wrathful toward their enemies. This exposes a persistent human tendency: we want mercy for ourselves and our tribe while demanding strict justice for others. Jonah preferred Nineveh's destruction even though 120,000 people would perish (4:11). His nationalist prejudice and thirst for vengeance overrode compassion for lost souls. Yet God's heart extends beyond ethnic and national boundaries to all who will repent and turn to Him.