Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Now, LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” New Living Translation Just kill me now, LORD! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.” English Standard Version Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Berean Standard Bible And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Berean Literal Bible And now, O YHWH, take, please, my soul from me, for better is my death than my life.” King James Bible Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. New King James Version Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!” New American Standard Bible So now, LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.” NASB 1995 “Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.” NASB 1977 “Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.” Legacy Standard Bible So now, O Yahweh, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.” Amplified Bible Therefore now, O LORD, just take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Berean Annotated Bible And now, O LORD {YHWH}, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live. Christian Standard Bible And now, LORD, take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Holman Christian Standard Bible And now, LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” American Standard Version Therefore now, O Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. Contemporary English Version Now let me die! I'd be better off dead. English Revised Version Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. GOD'S WORD® Translation So now, LORD, take my life. I'd rather be dead than alive." Good News Translation Now then, LORD, let me die. I am better off dead than alive." International Standard Version Therefore, LORD, please kill me, because it's better for me to die than to live!" NET Bible So now, LORD, kill me instead, because I would rather die than live!" New Heart English Bible Therefore now, LORD, take, I beg you, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live." Webster's Bible Translation Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleAnd now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” World English Bible Therefore now, Yahweh, take, I beg you, my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd now, O YHWH, please take my soul from me, for better [is] my death than my life.” Berean Literal Bible And now, O YHWH, take, please, my soul from me, for better is my death than my life.” Young's Literal Translation And now, O Jehovah, take, I pray Thee, my soul from me, for better is my death than my life.' Smith's Literal Translation And now, O Jehovah, take now my soul from me, for it is good for me to die rather than for me to live. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd now, O Lord, I beseech thee take my life from me: for it is better for me to die than to live. Catholic Public Domain Version And now, Lord, I ask you to take my life from me. For it is better for me to die than to live.” New American Bible So now, LORD, please take my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.” New Revised Standard Version And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleTherefore now, O my LORD, take my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Therefore, my Lord, take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech Thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.' Brenton Septuagint Translation And now, Lord God, take my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Jonah's Anger at the LORD's Compassion…2So he prayed to the LORD, saying, “O LORD, is this not what I said while I was still in my own country? This is why I was so quick to flee toward Tarshish. I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion—One who relents from sending disaster. 3And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4But the LORD replied, “Have you any right to be angry?”… Cross References And now, O LORD, Psalm 143:7-8 Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide Your face from me, or I will be like those who descend to the Pit. / Let me hear Your loving devotion in the morning, for I have put my trust in You. Teach me the way I should walk, for to You I lift up my soul. Psalm 102:1-2 A prayer of one who is afflicted, when he grows faint and pours out his lament before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come before You. / Do not hide Your face from me in my day of distress. Incline Your ear to me; answer me quickly when I call. Psalm 86:6-7 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and attend to my plea for mercy. / In the day of my distress I call on You, because You answer me. please take my life from me, 1 Kings 19:4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” Job 6:8-9 If only my request were granted and God would fulfill my hope: / that God would be willing to crush me, to unleash His hand and cut me off! Numbers 11:15 If this is how You are going to treat me, please kill me right now—if I have found favor in Your eyes—and let me not see my own wretchedness.” for it is better for me to die than to live.” Job 7:15-16 so that I would prefer strangling and death over my life in this body. / I loathe my life! I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath. Ecclesiastes 4:2-3 So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive. / But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun. Philippians 1:21-24 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. / But if I go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. So what shall I choose? I do not know. / I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed. … Job 3:20-22 Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul, / who long for death that does not come, and search for it like hidden treasure, / who rejoice and greatly exult when they reach the grave? Jeremiah 20:14-18 Cursed be the day I was born! May the day my mother bore me never be blessed. / Cursed be the man who brought my father the news, saying, “A son is born to you,” bringing him great joy. / May that man be like the cities that the LORD overthrew without compassion. May he hear an outcry in the morning and a battle cry at noon, … Numbers 11:14-15 I cannot carry all these people by myself; it is too burdensome for me. / If this is how You are going to treat me, please kill me right now—if I have found favor in Your eyes—and let me not see my own wretchedness.” 2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, then, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. Matthew 26:38-39 Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.” / Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” 2 Kings 20:1-3 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’” / Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying, / “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Psalm 42:5-6 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him for the salvation of His presence. / O my God, my soul despairs within me. Therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon—even from Mount Mizar. Treasury of Scripture Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech you, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. take. Numbers 11:15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness. Numbers 20:3 And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! 1 Kings 19:4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. for. Jonah 4:8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. Job 7:15,16 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life… Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth. Jump to Previous Beg Beseech Better Death Die Ear Life Please Prayer SoulJump to Next Beg Beseech Better Death Die Ear Life Please Prayer SoulJonah 4 1. Jonah repining at God's mercy,4. is reproved by the type of a withering vine. And now, O LORD, This phrase indicates Jonah's direct address to God, showing a personal and intimate relationship. The use of "O LORD" reflects the covenant name of God, Yahweh, emphasizing His faithfulness and sovereignty. Jonah's prayer is reminiscent of other biblical figures who have spoken directly to God in moments of distress, such as Moses and Elijah. please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Persons / Places / Events 1. JonahA prophet of God who was sent to Nineveh to proclaim God's message of repentance. Jonah struggles with God's mercy towards Nineveh and expresses his frustration in this verse. 2. The LORD (Yahweh) The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who is compassionate and merciful. He engages with Jonah, demonstrating patience and teaching him about divine mercy. 3. Nineveh The capital city of Assyria, known for its wickedness. God sends Jonah to warn them of impending judgment, but they repent, and God spares them. 4. Jonah's Anger This event highlights Jonah's internal conflict and anger towards God's decision to spare Nineveh, revealing his struggle with understanding God's compassion. 5. Jonah's Request for Death Jonah's extreme reaction to God's mercy towards Nineveh, where he asks God to take his life, showing his deep-seated frustration and inability to reconcile God's actions with his own expectations. Teaching Points Understanding God's MercyJonah's struggle reminds us that God's mercy extends beyond our understanding and expectations. We are called to embrace God's compassion for all people, even those we might consider undeserving. Dealing with Disappointment Jonah's reaction teaches us about handling disappointment with God's plans. Instead of despair, we should seek to align our hearts with God's purposes. The Danger of Self-Righteousness Jonah's anger reveals a self-righteous attitude. We must guard against believing we deserve God's grace more than others. God's Patience with Us Just as God was patient with Jonah, He is patient with us in our struggles and misunderstandings. We should be grateful for His enduring patience and seek to extend the same to others. The Call to Repentance Jonah's account underscores the power of repentance and God's willingness to forgive. We should be quick to repent and encourage others to do the same. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Jonah 4:3?2. How does Jonah 4:3 reveal Jonah's struggle with God's mercy and justice? 3. What can Jonah's reaction teach us about aligning our desires with God's will? 4. How does Jonah 4:3 connect to Jesus' teachings on loving our enemies? 5. In what ways can we guard against bitterness when God's plans differ from ours? 6. How can Jonah's plea in Jonah 4:3 guide our prayers during personal struggles? 7. Why does Jonah wish for death in Jonah 4:3 despite God's mercy? 8. How does Jonah 4:3 challenge our understanding of divine justice and mercy? 9. What does Jonah 4:3 reveal about human anger towards God's decisions? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Jonah 4? 11. Jonah 4:3 – What drives Jonah to wish for death over a city’s salvation, raising doubts about his spiritual credibility? 12. Did Jonah die inside the fish? 13. What is the Bible's view on self-pity? 14. In Job 6:8–9, why would Job, a faithful man, wish for God to grant him death, and does this contradict other biblical teachings on life’s sanctity? What Does Jonah 4:3 Mean And nowJonah has just witnessed the unexpected: “When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their evil ways, He relented of the disaster He had declared He would bring upon them” (Jonah 3:10). • The phrase “And now” links Jonah’s present words to that shocking divine mercy. • Instead of rejoicing, Jonah’s heart spirals into frustration, echoing the hard-hearted elder brother in Luke 15:28 who resented grace shown to the prodigal. • The moment teaches that time alone does not soften a resistant heart; repentance does (compare Acts 3:19). O LORD • Jonah calls on the covenant name, Yahweh, the same LORD who “abounds in loving devotion” (Exodus 34:6). • Ironically, he is appealing to the very character he finds offensive when directed toward Nineveh. • Like the psalmist who cries, “How long, O LORD?” (Psalm 13:1), Jonah knows God hears—but his tone is accusatory rather than trusting. please take my life from me • Jonah is so disillusioned that he echoes Elijah’s plea, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life” (1 Kings 19:4). • Such despair often surfaces when personal expectations crash against God’s broader purposes (compare Job 6:8-9). • Yet the request is ultimately a surrender of control ; God alone gives and takes life (Deuteronomy 32:39). • In contrast to Paul’s Christ-centered longing “to depart and be with Christ” (Philippians 1:23), Jonah’s wish springs from self-pity. for it is better for me to die than to live • This rationale appears again in Jonah 4:8, showing a settled mindset rather than a fleeting emotion. • Jonah’s “better” is measured by personal comfort, not by God’s redemptive plan (see Matthew 16:23, where Jesus rebukes Peter for similar shortsighted values). • His statement reveals: – An inverted value system: national pride over divine compassion (Romans 9:1-3 contrasts Paul’s willingness to suffer for others). – A refusal to align with God’s heart that “desires all men to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:4). – The peril of a prophet who loves his message of judgment more than the people to whom he is sent (compare Luke 9:54-55). summary Jonah 4:3 exposes a prophet in conflict with God’s grace. Anchored in his own expectations, Jonah would rather die than watch mercy triumph. The verse warns believers against valuing personal agendas over divine compassion and invites us to rejoice in the LORD who “does not treat us as our sins deserve” (Psalm 103:10). (3) Take, I beseech thee.--We naturally refer to the history of Elijah for a similar weariness and disgust of life. (Comp. also the case of Moses, Numbers 11:15). It should be noticed, as a contrast of Hebrew with heathen feeling, that none of these men in their loathing of life contemplated the possibility of suicide.Verse 3. - Take... my life from me (comp. ver. 8). Jonah throughout represents himself as petty, hasty, and self-willed, prone to exaggerate matters, and easily reduced to despair. Here, because his word is not fulfilled, he wishes to die, though he will not take his own life. In a different spirit Moses (Exodus 32:32) is ready to die for his people's sake, and Elijah asked for death because his zeal for God had apparently wrought no effect (1 Kings 19:4).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew And now,וְעַתָּ֣ה (wə·‘at·tāh) Conjunctive waw | Adverb Strong's 6258: At this time O LORD, יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel please נָ֥א (nā) Interjection Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then' take קַח־ (qaḥ-) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 3947: To take my life נַפְשִׁ֖י (nap̄·šî) Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion from me, מִמֶּ֑נִּי (mim·men·nî) Preposition | first person common singular Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of for כִּ֛י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction it is better ט֥וֹב (ṭō·wḇ) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good for me to die מוֹתִ֖י (mō·w·ṯî) Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 4194: Death, the dead, their place, state, pestilence, ruin than to live.” מֵחַיָּֽי׃ (mê·ḥay·yāy) Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life Links Jonah 4:3 NIVJonah 4:3 NLT Jonah 4:3 ESV Jonah 4:3 NASB Jonah 4:3 KJV Jonah 4:3 BibleApps.com Jonah 4:3 Biblia Paralela Jonah 4:3 Chinese Bible Jonah 4:3 French Bible Jonah 4:3 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Jonah 4:3 Therefore now Yahweh take I beg you (Jon. Jh) |
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