Jonah 4:11

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.

10 Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:

And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
So should I not care about the great city of Nineveh, which has more than 120,000 people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well?”
KJV
And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
WEB
Shouldn’t I be concerned for Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred twenty thousand persons who can’t discern between their right hand and their left hand, and also many animals?”
ASV
and should not I have regard for Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
DARBY
and I, should not I have pity on Nineveh, the great city, wherein are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
BLB
And I, should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city, in which are more than twelve myriad people who do not know between their right hand to their left hand, and many animals?”
ÅB
og jeg skulle ikke ynkes over Ninive, den store stad, hvor det er mere enn tolv ganger ti tusen mennesker som ikke kjenner forskjell mellom høyre og venstre, og en mengde dyr!
OTB
Og skulle ikke jeg ha omsorg for den store byen Ninive, hvor det er mer enn 120 000 mennesker som ikke kan skille høyre hånd fra venstre, og også mange dyr?»
B1930
og jeg skulde ikke ynkes over Ninive, den store stad, hvor det er mere enn tolv ganger ti tusen mennesker som ikke kjenner forskjell mellem høire og venstre, og en mengde dyr!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Matthew 18:33

    Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

    Read in context
  • Luke 15:28–32

    And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 36:6

    Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.

    Read in context
  • Jonah 1:2

    Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 145:8–9

    The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 1:39

    Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 104:14

    He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 1:18

    Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

    Read in context