Jonah 4:2
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jonah admits he fled because he knew the LORD is gracious, merciful, and slow to anger, ready to relent.
What Does Jonah 4:2 Mean?
At last Jonah reveals why he fled in the first place. He prayed that this was his fear all along, the reason he ran to Tarshish: he knew that the LORD is a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, One who relents from sending disaster. He recites the very description of God's character that runs through the Scriptures, first spoken to Moses. Jonah fled not because he doubted God's mercy but because he was certain of it.
This is a stunning confession. Jonah understood God's grace perfectly and resented it, because that grace might reach Nineveh. He would rather God be less merciful than see his enemies forgiven. Yet even in his complaint, Jonah preaches the truth: God is gracious, compassionate, patient, abounding in steadfast love. These are the most beautiful words in the book, spoken, sadly, in anger. They describe the heart of God revealed fully in Christ. The mercy Jonah dreads is the very mercy that saves us all.
In the Original Language
channun (חַנּוּן), 'gracious' -- describes God as freely giving favor; it stands in the ancient confession of the Lord as gracious, merciful, and slow to anger.