Jonah 4:10

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:

Then said {H559} the LORD {H3068}, Thou hast had pity {H2347} on the gourd {H7021}, for the which thou hast not laboured {H5998}, neither madest it grow {H1431}; which came up in a night {H1121}{H3915}, and perished {H6} in a night {H1121}{H3915}:

ADONAI said, "You're concerned over the castor-bean plant, which cost you no effort; you didn't make it grow; it came up in a night and perished in a night.

But the LORD said, “You cared about the plant, which you neither tended nor made grow. It sprang up in a night and perished in a night.

And Jehovah said, Thou hast had regard for the gourd, for which thou hast not labored, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:

Commentary

Jonah 4:10 captures a pivotal moment in the book of Jonah, where the LORD confronts the prophet's narrow perspective on compassion and mercy. This verse serves as a rhetorical question, highlighting the vast difference between Jonah's limited pity for a plant and God's boundless concern for human souls.

Context

This verse is part of God's final lesson to Jonah. After reluctantly proclaiming judgment to Nineveh, Jonah was deeply displeased when God, in His great mercy, relented because the city repented (Jonah 3:10). Jonah expressed profound anger and even wished to die (Jonah 4:1-3). In an attempt to teach Jonah, God provided a fast-growing gourd to shade him from the sun, which greatly pleased Jonah. However, God then caused a worm to attack the gourd, and a scorching east wind to blow, causing Jonah extreme discomfort and renewed desire for death. It is in this state that God poses the profound question found in verse 10, comparing Jonah's grief over a plant to God's concern for a vast city.

Key Themes

  • God's Universal Compassion: The core message is God's expansive and unconditional mercy, which extends to all people, regardless of their past sins or current standing. God's pity is not limited by nationality, prejudice, or personal comfort, unlike Jonah's.
  • The Value of Life: God places immense value on all living beings, especially humans. He emphasizes that His concern for the multitude in Nineveh, who did not know their right hand from their left, along with their much cattle, far outweighs Jonah's self-centered pity for a temporary plant. This contrasts with Jonah's desire for destruction.
  • Human Self-Interest vs. Divine Perspective: Jonah's "pity" for the gourd was rooted in his own comfort and convenience. God's pity for Nineveh was born out of His character of love and desire for salvation. The verse exposes the often-selfish nature of human compassion compared to the selfless nature of God's love.
  • Divine Sovereignty: God demonstrates His control over all creation—the gourd, the worm, the wind—to orchestrate a lesson for Jonah, highlighting His ultimate authority and wisdom in all matters.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word translated "pity" here is chamal (חָמַל), which means to spare, show compassion, or feel sorrow for. By using this term, God mirrors Jonah's own feeling for the gourd, contrasting it with the much greater object of God's own chamal—the city of Nineveh. The "gourd" (קִיקָיוֹן - qiqayon) is often identified as a castor oil plant, known for its rapid growth and equally rapid decay, perfectly illustrating its transient nature and Jonah's misplaced attachment.

Practical Application

Jonah 4:10 challenges us to examine the breadth of our own compassion. Do we reserve our pity for things that benefit us directly, or for those we deem worthy? This verse encourages believers to adopt God's expansive heart, extending mercy and grace even to those we might consider enemies or undeserving. It reminds us that God's thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are our ways His ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). We are called to rejoice in God's mercy and to participate in His mission of spreading salvation, rather than clinging to our own prejudices or desires for judgment. It underscores the profound truth that every life is precious in God's sight.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 1 Samuel 20:31 (-5 votes)

    For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.

  • Genesis 17:12 (-8 votes)

    And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which [is] not of thy seed.