Jonah 4 · Verse 6

Jonah 4:6

And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.

Jonah 4:6, King James Version

Jonah 4:6 in other translations

BSB	So the LORD God appointed a vine, and it grew up to provide shade over Jonah’s head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was greatly pleased with the plant.
WEB	The LORD God prepared a vine and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the vine.
ASV	And Jehovah God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to deliver him from his evil case. So Jonah was exceeding glad because of the gourd.
YLT	And Jehovah God appointeth a gourd, and causeth it to come up over Jonah, to be a shade over his head, to give deliverance to him from his affliction, and Jonah rejoiceth because of the gourd with great joy.
DARBY	And Jehovah Elohim prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to deliver him from his trouble. And Jonah was exceeding glad because of the gourd.
BBE	And the Lord God made a vine come up over Jonah to give him shade over his head. And Jonah was very glad because of the vine.
Webster	And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.

What does Jonah 4:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

6. gourd--Hebrew, kikaion; the Egyptian kiki, the "ricinus" or castor-oil plant, commonly called "palm-christ" (palma-christi). It grows from eight to ten feet high. Only one leaf grows on a branch, but that leaf being often more than a foot large, the collective leaves give good shelter from the heat. It grows rapidly, and fades as suddenly when injured. to deliver him from his grief--It was therefore grief, not selfish anger, which Jonah felt (see on Jon 4:1). Some external comforts will often turn the mind away from its sorrowful bent.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 6 And the Lord God prepared a gourd - I believe this should be rendered in the preterpluperfect tense. The Lord Had prepared this plant, קיקיון kikayon. It had in the course of God's providence been planted and grown up in that place, though perhaps not yet in full leaf; and Jonah made that his tent. And its thick branches and large leaves made it an ample shelter for him, and because it was such, he rejoiced greatly on the account. But what was the kikayon? The best judges say the ricinus or palma Christi, from which we get what is vulgarly called castor oil, is meant. It is a tree as large as the olive, has leaves which are like those of the vine, and is also quick of growth. This in all probability was the plant in question, which had been already planted, though it had not attained its proper growth, and was not then in full leaf. Celsus, in his Hierobot., says it grows to the height of an olive tree; the trunk and branches are hollow like a kex, and the leaves sometimes as broad as the rim of a hat. It must be of a soft or spongy substance, for it is said to grow surprisingly fast. See Taylor under the root קיק , 1670. But it is evident there was something supernatural in the growth of this plant, for it is stated to have come up in a night; though the Chaldee understands the passage thus: "It was here last night, and it withered this night." In one night it might have blown and expanded its leaves considerably, though the plant had existed before, but not in full bloom till the time that Jonah required it for a shelter.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jonah 4:5-11

Jonah went out of the city, yet remained near at hand, as if he expected and desired its overthrow. Those who have fretful, uneasy spirits, often make troubles for themselves, that they may still have something to complain of. See how tender God is of his people in their afflictions, even though they are foolish and froward. A thing small in itself, yet coming seasonably, may be a valuable blessing. A gourd in the…

Read the full comment on Jonah 4:5-11 →

Jonah 4:6 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְמַ֣ןvay.Manand he appointedH4487

יְהוָֽה\־Yah.weh-YahwehH3068

אֱ֠לֹהִים'E.lo.HimGodH430

קִיקָי֞וֹןki.ka.Yona plantH7021

וַיַּ֣עַל\׀vai.Ya.'aland it went upH5927

מֵעַ֣לme.'Al<from> overH5921

לְיוֹנָ֗הle.yo.Nah<to> JonahH3124

לִֽהְי֥וֹתlih.Yotto beH1961

צֵל֙tzelshadeH6738

עַל\־'al-overH5921

רֹאשׁ֔וֹro.Shohead hisH7218

לְהַצִּ֥ילle.ha.Tzilto deliverH5337

ל֖וֹlo<to> <the> him

מֵרָֽעָת֑וֹme.ra.'a.Tofrom distress hisH7451

וַיִּשְׂמַ֥חvai.yis.Machand he rejoicedH8055

יוֹנָ֛הyo.NahJonahH3124

עַל\־'al-onH5921

הַקִּֽיקָי֖וֹןha.ki.ka.Yonthe plantH7021

שִׂמְחָ֥הsim.Chaha joyH8057

גְדוֹלָֽה\׃ge.do.LahgreatH1419

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jonah 4:6

Psalms 103:10-14
He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. …
Esther 5:9
Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.
Luke 10:20
Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
1 Corinthians 7:30
And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
Jonah 1:17
Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Isaiah 39:2
And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.
Amos 6:13
Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the Lord.
1:17; Ps 103:10-14
gourd. or, palmcrist. Heb. Kikajon.[Qîyqâyôwn ,] probably the palma Christi, called {kiki,} or {kouki,} by the Egyptians, and {Elkherod} by the Arabs, from which caster oil is extracted. It is as large as the olive tree, has leaves like those of a vine, sometimes as broad as the brim of a hat, and is of very quick growth.
So.
Es 5:9; Pr 23:5; Isa 39:2; Am 6:13; Lu 10:20; 1Co 7:30
was exceeding glad. Heb. rejoiced with great joy.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Jonah 4:5
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 4:6
And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.
Jonah 4:7
But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.

Read all of Jonah 4

Jonah 4:6 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y preparó Jehová Dios una calabacera, la cual creció sobre Jonás para que hiciese sombra sobre su cabeza, y le defendiese de su mal: y Jonás se alegró grandemente por la calabacera.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et l’ Éternel Dieu prépara un kikajon et le fit monter au-dessus de Jonas, pour faire ombre sur sa tête, pour le délivrer de sa misère, et Jonas se réjouit d’une grande joie à cause du kikajon.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und Jehova Gott bestellte einen Wunderbaum und ließ ihn über Jona emporwachsen, damit Schatten über seinem Haupte wäre, um ihn von seinem Mißmut zu befreien; und Jona freute sich über den Wunderbaum mit großer Freude. -
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et præparavit Dominus Deus hederam, et ascendit super caput Jonæ, ut esset umbra super caput ejus, et protegeret eum (laboraverat enim): et lætatus est Jonas super hedera lætitia magna.