Jonah 4 · Verse 8

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.

Jonah 4:8, King James Version

Jonah 4:8 in other translations

BSB	As the sun was rising, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint and wished to die, saying, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
WEB	When the sun arose, God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he was faint and requested for himself that he might die. He said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
ASV	And it came to pass, when the sun arose, that God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
YLT	And it cometh to pass, about the rising of the sun, that God appointeth a cutting east wind, and the sun smiteth on the head of Jonah, and he wrappeth himself up, and asketh his soul to die, and saith, ‘Better is my death than my life.'
DARBY	And it came to pass, when the sun arose, that God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, so that he fainted; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
BBE	Then when the sun came up, God sent a burning east wind: and so great was the heat of the sun on his head that Jonah was overcome, and, requesting death for himself, said, Death is better for me than life.
Webster	And it came to pass, when the sun rose 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.

What does Jonah 4:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

8. vehement--rather, "scorching"; the Margin, "silent," expressing sultry stillness, not vehemence.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 8 A vehement east wind - Which was of itself of a parching, withering nature; and the sun, in addition, made it intolerable. These winds are both scorching and suffocating in the East, for deserts of burning sand lay to the east or south-east; and the easterly winds often brought such a multitude of minute particles of sand on their wings, as to add greatly to the mischief. I believe these, and the sands they carry, are the cause of the ophthalmia which prevails so much both in Egypt and India.

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 4:8 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.

וַיְהִ֣י\׀vay.Hiand it wasH1961

כִּזְרֹ֣חַkiz.Ro.achwhen aroseH2224

הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁha.She.meshthe sunH8121

וַיְמַ֨ןvay.Manand he appointedH4487

אֱלֹהִ֜ים'E.lo.HimGodH430

ר֤וּחַRu.acha windH7307

קָדִים֙ka.Diman east windH6921

חֲרִישִׁ֔יתcha.ri.ShithotH2759

וַתַּ֥ךְva.Takhand it struckH5221

הַשֶּׁ֛מֶשׁha.She.meshthe sunH8121

עַל\־'al-onH5921

רֹ֥אשׁrosh[the] head ofH7218

יוֹנָ֖הyo.NahJonahH3124

וַיִּתְעַלָּ֑ףvai.yit.'a.Lafand he became faintH5968

וַיִּשְׁאַ֤לvai.yish.'Aland he askedH7592

אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853

נַפְשׁוֹ֙naf.Sholife hisH5315

לָמ֔וּתla.Mutto dieH4191

וַיֹּ֕אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559

ט֥וֹבTov[is] goodH2896

מוֹתִ֖יmo.Tideath myH4194

מֵחַיָּֽי\׃me.chai.Yaimore than life myH2416

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

Cross references for Jonah 4:8

Psalms 121:6
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
Jonah 4:3
Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
Ezekiel 19:12
But she was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit: her strong rods were broken and withered; the fire consumed them.
Isaiah 49:10
They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
Revelation 3:19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Revelation 7:16
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
Leviticus 10:3
Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.
Jonah 4:6-7
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. But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.
2 Samuel 15:25-26
And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation: But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.
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.
Job 2:10
But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
Jonah 1:4
But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

that God.
6,7; 1:4,17; Eze 19:12; Re 3:19
vehement. or, silent. and the sun.
Ps 121:6; So 1:6; Isa 49:10; Re 7:16
and wished.
3; Le 10:3; 1Sa 3:18; 2Sa 15:25,26; Job 2:10; Ps 39:9

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

Context

Jonah 4:7
But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.
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.
Jonah 4:9
And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.

Read all of Jonah 4

Jonah 4:8 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y acaeció que al salir el sol, preparó Dios un recio viento solano; y el sol hirió á Jonás en la cabeza, y desmayábase, y se deseaba la muerte, diciendo: Mejor sería para mí la muerte que mi vida.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et il arriva que, quand le soleil se leva, Dieu prépara un doux vent d’orient, et le soleil frappa la tête de Jonas, et il défaillait, et il demanda la mort pour son âme, et dit: Mieux me vaut la mort que la vie.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und es geschah, als die Sonne aufging, da bestellte Gott einen schwülen Ostwind; und die Sonne stach Jona aufs Haupt, daß er ermattet niedersank. Und er begehrte, daß seine Seele stürbe, und sprach: Es ist besser, daß ich sterbe, als daß ich lebe.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et cum ortus fuisset sol, præcepit Dominus vento calido et urenti: et percussit sol super caput Jonæ, et æstuabat: et petivit animæ suæ ut moreretur, et dixit: Melius est mihi mori quam vivere.