SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:3
Ahora pues, SEŃOR, te ruego que me mates; porque mejor me es la muerte que la vida.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Jonah 4:3
Verse 3. Take, I beseech thee, my life from me] y¨pn ta an jq kach na eth naphshi, "Take, I beseech thee, even my Soul." Do not let me survive this disgrace. Thou hast spared this city. I thought thou wouldst do so, because thou art merciful and gracious, and it was on this account that I refused to go at first, as I knew that thou mightest change thy purpose, though thou hadst commanded me to make an absolute denunciation of judgment. God has left this example on record to show that an inconsiderate man is not fit to be employed in his work; and he chose this one example that it might serve as an endless warning to his Church to employ no man in the work of the ministry that is not scripturally acquainted with God's justice and mercy.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 3. Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me , etc.] Or, “my soul” f70 . This, as Drusius remarks, may be observed against those that think the soul is not immortal; for by this it appears that it my be taken from the body, and that it exists separate from it, and does not die with it; and since the body dies upon its removal, for “the body without the spirit is dead”, as James says; death is expressed by this phrase, ( Job 27:8 Acts 8:33); here Jonah allows that God is the God of life, the author and giver of it, and is the sole disposer of it; it is in his own power to take it away, and not man’s: so far Jonah was right, that he did not in his passion attempt to take away his own life; only desires the Lord to do it, though in that he is not to be justified; for though it may be lawful for good men to desire to die, with submission to the will of God; that they might be free from sin, and serve him without it, and be with Christ, and in the enjoyment of the divine Presence, as the Apostle Paul and others did, ( Corinthians 5:6,8 Philippians 1:21,23); but not through discontent, as Elijah, ( 1 Kings 19:4); or merely to be rid of troubles, and to be free from pain and afflictions, as Job, ( Job 6:1-3,8,9); and much less in a pet and passion, as Jonah here, giving this reason for it, for [it is] better for me to die than to live ; not being able to bear the reproach of being a false prophet, which he imagined would be cast upon him; or, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi, that he might not see the evil come upon Israel, which he feared the repentance of the Ninevites would be the occasion of, Jonah was in a very poor frame of spirit to die in; this would not have been dying in faith and hope in God; which graces cannot be thought to be in lively exercise in him when he was quarrelling with God; neither in love to God, with whom he was angry; nor in love to men, at whose repentance, and finding mercy with the Lord, he was displeased.
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
ועתה 6258 יהוה 3068 קח 3947 נא 4994 את 853 נפשׁי 5315 ממני 4480 כי 3588 טוב 2896 מותי 4194 מחיי׃ 2416
