TRV
Translation
King James Version
But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.
Complete Jewish Bible
But at dawn the next day God prepared a worm, which attacked the castor-bean plant, so that it dried up.
Berean Standard Bible
When dawn came the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant so that it withered.
American Standard Version
But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd, that it withered.
World English Bible Messianic
But God prepared a worm at dawn the next day, and it chewed on the vine, so that it withered.
Geneva Bible (1599)
But God prepared a worme when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd, that it withered.
Young's Literal Translation
And God appointeth a worm at the going up of the dawn on the morrow, and it smiteth the gourd, and it drieth up.
In the KJVVerse 22,576 of 31,102
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Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers . Public domain.
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Tyrannius RufinusAD 411
The Apology of Rufinus (Book II), Section 35
This has been the present which you have made us with your excess of wisdom, that we are all judged even by the heathen as lacking in wisdom... The ears of simple men among the Latins ought not after four hundred years to be molested by the sound of new doctrines... Now you are yourself saying... When the world has grown old and all things are hastening to their end, let us change the inscriptions upon the tombs of the ancients, so that it may be known by those who had read the story otherwise, that it was not a gourd but an ivy plant under whose shade Jonah rested; and that, when our legislator pleases, it will no longer be the shade of ivy but of some other plant.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jonah, Chapter 4
"But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. 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." LXX: 'and God commanded a worm early the next morning, which smote the gourd that it withered. When the sun had risen the Lord immediately commanded a hot and burning wind. The sun hit upon Jonah's head in his distress and suddenly became very exhausted and he said, it is better for me to die than to live.' Before the sun of justice [Mal. 4:2] rose the shade was verdant and Israel was not dry. But after it rose, and when the darkness of Nineveh had been dispersed by its light, a worm obtained for the first light of the next day smote the gourd, (the worm, which is mentioned in the title to psalm twenty-one: "in honour of the morning incarnation", and which was born from the earth without any seed, can say, 'I am a worm and not a man' [Ps. 21:7]. And Jonah, abandoned by God's aid, loses all his strength. The Lord ordered a hot and burning wind, which was prophesied by Hosea: "the Lord will bring a wind out of the desert, which will dry up the rivers and abandon his fountain" [Hos. 13:15]. And Jonah began to get hot and once again he wants to die in the baptism of Israel to receive in this basin the moisture which he lost in his refusal to do God's word. This is why Peter speaks to the Jews who are parched, saying, "Repent, and let each of you be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for payment for your sins, so that you might receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" [Act. 2:38]. There are those for whom the worm and the burning wind represent the Roman generals who, after the resurrection of Christ, completely destroyed Israel.
JeromeAD 420
Augustine Letter 75 (From Jerome), Chapter 7, Section 22
You tell me that I have given a wrong translation of some word in Jonah, and that a worthy bishop narrowly escaped losing his charge through the clamorous tumult of his people, which was caused by the different rendering of this one word. At the same time, you withhold from me what the word was which I have mistranslated; thus taking away the possibility of my saying anything in my own vindication, lest my reply should be fatal to your objection. Perhaps it is the old dispute about the gourd which has been revived, after slumbering for many long years since the illustrious man, who in that day combined in his own person the ancestral honours of the Cornelii and of Asinius Pollio, brought against me the charge of giving in my translation the word "ivy" instead of "gourd." I have already given a sufficient answer to this in my commentary on Jonah. At present, I deem it enough to say that in that passage, where the Septuagint has "gourd," and Aquila and the others have rendered the word "ivy" (κίσσος), the Hebrew manuscript has "ciceion," which is in the Syriac tongue, as now spoken, "ciceia." It is a kind of shrub having large leaves like a vine, and when planted it quickly springs up to the size of a small tree, standing upright by its own stem, without requiring any support of canes or poles, as both gourds and ivy do. If, therefore, in translating word for word, I had put the word "ciceia," no one would know what it meant; if I had used the word "gourd," I would have said what is not found in the Hebrew. I therefore put down "ivy," that I might not differ from all other translators. But if your Jews said, either through malice or ignorance, as you yourself suggest, that the word is in the Hebrew text which is found in the Greek and Latin versions, it is evident that they were either unacquainted with Hebrew, or have been pleased to say what was not true, in order to make sport of the gourd-planters.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
LETTER 102:6
But the worm came in the morning. It gnawed at the vine and withered it. For when the gospel had been published by Christ's mouth, all those things withered and faded away. The shade of the vine symbolized temporal prosperity for the Israelites. And now those people have lost the kingdom of Jerusalem and their priesthood and sacrifice. All of this was a foreshadowing of the future. They were scattered abroad in captivity and afflicted with a great flood of suffering, just as Jonah—so it is written—suffered grievously from the heat of the sun. Yet the salvation of penitent nations is preferred to Jonah's suffering and the shade that he loved.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Jonah 4:7 marks a crucial turning point in God's pedagogical interaction with Jonah, demonstrating divine sovereignty over creation and the transient nature of earthly comforts. Following Jonah's delight in the miraculously provided gourd, God orchestrates its swift demise by appointing a worm to attack it at dawn, causing it to wither. This deliberate act serves as a direct, tangible lesson designed to challenge Jonah's self-centered compassion and prepare him for a deeper understanding of God's boundless mercy, setting the stage for the climactic dialogue between the prophet and his Lord.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse immediately follows Jonah 4:6, where God miraculously provided a gourd plant to shade Jonah, bringing him "great joy." Jonah had previously expressed profound anger and displeasure at God's decision to spare Nineveh, contrary to his prophetic expectations for its destruction, even wishing for death (Jonah 4:1-3). He had built a booth outside the city, anticipating its downfall. The gourd became a source of personal comfort for Jonah, highlighting his self-focused concern over the well-being of a plant compared to his lack of empathy for the vast population of Nineveh. God's act of preparing the worm and causing the gourd to wither is a direct continuation of this divine object lesson, stripping away Jonah's comfort to confront his spiritual state, leading directly into the profound theological dialogue of Jonah 4:8-11.
Historical & Cultural Context: The book of Jonah is set against the backdrop of the Assyrian Empire, specifically its capital, Nineveh, a city renowned for its immense size and notorious cruelty. Prophets in ancient Israel often delivered messages of judgment to foreign nations, and the expectation was typically that such judgments would be carried out. Jonah's initial reluctance to go to Nineveh and his subsequent anger at God's mercy reflect a common Israelite understanding of God's covenantal relationship primarily with Israel, and a desire for divine justice to be meted out upon their enemies. The use of natural elements—a great fish, a gourd, a worm, and a scorching wind—as instruments of divine will underscores the ancient Near Eastern understanding of a deity's pervasive power over creation. The rapid growth and decay of plants were familiar phenomena in arid climates, making the gourd's swift appearance and disappearance a relatable and impactful illustration for Jonah.
Key Themes: The events of Jonah 4:7 powerfully reinforce several major theological and narrative themes within the book of Jonah. First, it underscores Divine Sovereignty and Control, echoing earlier instances where God "prepared" a great fish (Jonah 1:17) and the gourd itself (Jonah 4:6). This consistent use of "prepared" (Hebrew: manah) emphasizes that every natural event, no matter how small, is under God's deliberate and purposeful orchestration. Second, the rapid appearance and disappearance of the gourd illustrate the Temporary Nature of Earthly Comforts. What brings immediate relief and joy can quickly vanish, serving as a stark reminder not to place ultimate trust or derive ultimate satisfaction from transient material possessions or circumstances. Finally, this verse highlights God's Pedagogical Methods. God intentionally uses both pleasant (the gourd) and painful (the worm, the scorching wind in Jonah 4:8) circumstances to teach Jonah about His character, challenging Jonah's narrow, self-centered perspective and demonstrating God's persistent love and desire to shape His servants for His broader redemptive purposes.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jonah 4:7 employs several powerful literary devices. Anthropomorphism is subtly present in the concept of God "preparing" or "appointing" the worm, attributing human-like intentionality and action to the divine. This reinforces God's active involvement and meticulous control over the natural world. Symbolism is central to the verse, with the gourd representing temporary, earthly comforts and Jonah's self-centered joy, while the worm symbolizes the swift, divinely orchestrated removal of such comforts to achieve a higher spiritual purpose. The rapid transition from the gourd's provision to its destruction also creates Dramatic Irony. Jonah rejoiced in the gourd, oblivious that it was part of a larger divine plan to expose his own spiritual deficiencies. The worm's action serves as a Foreshadowing of the scorching east wind in the subsequent verse, intensifying Jonah's physical suffering and setting the stage for God's direct confrontation with Jonah's misplaced priorities and lack of compassion.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jonah 4:7 serves as a profound theological statement on God's absolute sovereignty, not only over the grand affairs of nations but also over the most minute details of creation. It underscores that all of creation, from the greatest fish to the smallest worm, is an instrument in God's hands, meticulously "prepared" to fulfill His purposes, whether those purposes involve judgment, mercy, or pedagogical instruction. This verse challenges the human tendency to find ultimate security and comfort in transient earthly provisions, demonstrating how swiftly such comforts can be removed when they hinder spiritual growth or distract from divine priorities. It highlights God's persistent and often uncomfortable methods of discipleship, using both provision and deprivation to refine the hearts of His servants and align their compassion with His own.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jonah 4:7 offers a sobering yet ultimately hopeful reflection on the nature of divine discipline and the transient character of our earthly comforts. It challenges us to examine where our true joy and security lie. Do we, like Jonah, become disproportionately attached to the fleeting "gourds" in our lives—our possessions, comforts, relationships, or even our ministries—to the point where their loss causes us more distress than the spiritual lostness of others or the perceived thwarting of our own plans? This verse reminds us that God is actively involved in our lives, sometimes removing what we cherish or introducing discomfort, not to punish us arbitrarily, but to expose our misplaced affections, refine our character, and reorient our hearts towards His greater purposes and His boundless compassion for all humanity. It calls us to cultivate a spirit of detachment from the temporal and a deeper trust in God's sovereign wisdom, even when His methods are uncomfortable, knowing that His ultimate aim is our spiritual flourishing and the extension of His mercy through us.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did God give Jonah the gourd only to take it away so quickly?
Answer: God's provision and subsequent removal of the gourd were part of a deliberate object lesson designed to challenge Jonah's self-centeredness and lack of compassion. In Jonah 4:6, God provided the gourd, bringing Jonah great joy and comfort from the scorching sun. Jonah valued this plant, which he did not labor for, more than he valued the lives of 120,000 people in Nineveh. By taking the gourd away so swiftly in Jonah 4:7, God created a tangible experience of loss for Jonah, setting the stage for the direct confrontation in Jonah 4:9-11, where God asks Jonah, "Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant?" God used the gourd's short life to illustrate Jonah's disproportionate concern for a plant versus his lack of concern for people, aiming to expand Jonah's understanding of divine mercy.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Jonah 4:7 describes a specific act of God's sovereignty in the Old Testament, its Christ-centered fulfillment lies in how it illuminates the nature of God's compassionate heart, ultimately revealed in Jesus Christ. The temporary nature of the gourd, a source of fleeting comfort, foreshadows the ultimate and enduring comfort found only in Christ. Unlike the gourd that withered, Jesus is the "true vine" (John 15:1) who provides eternal life and never withers. Furthermore, God's patient, pedagogical method with Jonah, using discomfort to teach compassion, points to Christ's own ministry. Jesus consistently challenged His disciples' narrow perspectives and self-interest, calling them to a radical, self-sacrificial love for others, even their enemies (Matthew 5:43-48). The divine sovereignty over the worm and the gourd, orchestrating events for a redemptive purpose, finds its ultimate expression in Christ's complete authority over all creation (Colossians 1:16-17), an authority He wields not for judgment alone, but primarily for the salvation of humanity, demonstrating the boundless mercy that Jonah struggled to comprehend but which is fully embodied in the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.