Jonah 4:3
1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
2 And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
4 Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?
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.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
- KJV
- Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
- WEB
- Therefore now, LORD, take, I beg you, my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
- ASV
- Therefore now, O Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
- DARBY
- And now, Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.
- BLB
- And now, O YHWH, take, please, my soul from me, for better [is] my death than my life.”
- ÅB
- Så ta nå, Herre, mitt liv! For jeg vil heller dø enn leve.
- OTB
- Så, Herre, ta nå mitt liv fra meg, for jeg vil heller dø enn leve.»
- B1930
- Så ta nu, Herre, mitt liv! For jeg vil heller dø enn leve.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
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.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 7:1
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
Read in contextJeremiah 20:14–18
Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.
Read in contextNumbers 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.
Read in contextNumbers 20:3
And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!
Read in contextJonah 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.
Read in contextJob 7:15–16
So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.
Read in contextJob 3:20–21
Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;
Read in context