Untitled Sermon

Jonah 4:3 “Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.””

The Book of the Twelve: Hosea–Malachi, 2 vols. (Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary | SHBC) Jonah’s Petulant Prayer and God’s Response, 4:1–4

In 4:3, Jonah asks YHWH to kill him out of frustration with YHWH’s compassion on the Ninevites. Jonah offers a real point of contrast with Moses at this point. The Exodus context portrays Moses as interceding on behalf of Israel because of YHWH’s compassion. Jonah, by contrast, wants to die because YHWH chooses to show compassion upon foreigners

The Book of the Twelve: Hosea–Malachi, 2 vols. (Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary | SHBC) Jonah’s Petulant Prayer and God’s Response, 4:1–4

Nowhere else, however, does a biblical figure request that God take his life because he is embarrassed by YHWH’s compassion.