SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:4
Y el SEÑOR le dijo: ¿Tanto te enojas?
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Jonah 4:4
Verse 4. Doest thou well to be angry?] ûl hrh bfyhh haheitib harah lac, "Is anger good for thee?" No, anger is good for no man; but an angry preacher, minister, bishop, or prophet, is an abominable man. He who, in denouncing the word of God against sinners, joins his own passions with the Divine threatenings, is a cruel and bad man, and should not be an overseer in God's house. A surly bishop, a peevish, passionate preacher, will bring neither glory to God, nor good to man. Dr. Taylor renders the clause, "Art thou very much grieved?" A man may be very much grieved that a sinner is lost; but who but he who is of a fiendish nature will be grieved because God's mercy triumphs over judgment?
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. Then said the Lord, dost thou well to be angry ?] A mild and gentle reproof this; which shows him to be a God gracious and merciful, and slow to anger; he might have answered Jonah’s passionate wish, and struck him dead at once, as Ananias and Sapphira were; but he only puts this question, and leaves it with him to consider of. Some render it, “is doing good displeasing to thee?” art thou angry at that, because I do good to whom I will? so R. Japhet, as Aben Ezra observes, though he disapproves of it: according to this the sense is, is doing good to the Ninevites, showing mercy to them upon their repentance, such an eyesore to thee? is thine eye evil, because mine is good? so the Scribes and Pharisees indeed were displeased with Christ for conversing with publicans and sinners, which was for the good of their souls; and the elder brother was angry with his father for receiving the prodigal; and of the same cast Jonah seems to be, at least at this time, being under the power of his corruptions. There seems to be an emphasis upon the word “thou”; dost “thou” well to be angry? what, “thou”, a creature, be angry with his Creator; a worm, a potsherd of the earth, with the God of heaven and earth? what, “thou”, that hast received mercy thyself in such an extraordinary manner, and so lately, and be angry at mercy shown to others? what, “thou”, a prophet of the Lord, that should have at heart the good of immortal souls, and be displeased that thy ministry has been the means of the conversion and repentance of so many thousands? is there any just cause for all this anger? no, it is a causeless one; and this is put to the conscience of Jonah; he himself is made judge in his own cause; and it looks as if, upon self-reflection and reconsideration, when his passions cooled and subsided, that he was self-convicted and selfcondemned, since no answer is returned. The Targum is, “art thou exceeding angry?” and so other interpreters, Jewish and Christian f72 , understand it of the vehemency of his anger.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-4 - What all the saints make matter of joy and praise, Jonah makes the subject of reflection upon God; as if showing mercy were a imperfection of the Divine nature, which is the greatest glory of it It is to his sparing, pardoning mercy, we all owe it that we are out of hell. He wishes for death: this was the language of folly, passion, an strong corruption. There appeared in Jonah remains of a proud uncharitable spirit; and that he neither expected nor desired the welfare of the Ninevites, but had only come to declare and witnes their destruction. He was not duly humbled for his own sins, and wa not willing to trust the Lord with his credit and safety. In this fram of mind, he overlooked the good of which he had been an instrument, an the glory of the Divine mercy. We should often ask ourselves, Is i well to say thus, to do thus? Can I justify it? Do I well to be so soo angry, so often angry, so long angry, and to give others ill languag in my anger? Do I well to be angry at the mercy of God to repentin sinners? That was Jonah's crime. Do we do well to be angry at tha which is for the glory of God, and the advancement of his kingdom? Le the conversion of sinners, which is the joy of heaven, be our joy, an never our grief.
Original Hebrew
ויאמר 559 יהוה 3068 ההיטב 3190 חרה׃ 2734
