1
Καὶ ἐλυπήθη Ιωνας λύπην μεγάλην καὶ συνεχύθη.
And Jonah was deeply grieved with great grief, and he was confounded.
Narrative continuationΚαίSimple copulative καί links this to ch. 3's account of Nineveh's repentance and God's relenting. The doubled construction λυπήθη λύπην μεγάλην (verb + cognate accusative, a Hebraism mirroring וַיֵּרַע אֶל־יוֹנָה רָעָה גְדוֹלָה) intensifies the grief. The additional verb συνεχύθη ('was confounded / thrown into consternation') has no direct MT equivalent and represents LXX theological expansion.
Καὶandcoordinating conjunction (narrative copulative)
ἐλυπήθηwas grievedAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · λυπέωmain verb→ constative aorist (whole event as fact)λυπέω: 'grieve, pain'; passive 'be grieved, be in pain.' The cognate acc. below makes this a Hebraism.
ΙωναςJonahNominativesubject nominativeἸωνᾶς: transliteration of יוֹנָה (yonah, 'dove'); declinable Greek form.
λύπηνgriefAccusativecognate accusative (Hebraism — internal object)λύπη: 'grief, sorrow, pain'; mirrors the Hebrew cognate accusative רָעָה גְדוֹלָה, a Septuagintal Hebraism.
μεγάληνgreatAccusativeattributive adjective
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
συνεχύθηwas confoundedAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · συγχέωsecond main verb (additional LXX expansion)→ constative aorist (state of consternation entered)συγχέω: 'confuse, throw into disorder, confound'; not present in MT Jon 4:1. LXX deepens the psychological portrait — Jonah is not merely angry but shaken.
2
καὶ προσεύξατο πρὸς κύριον καὶ εἶπεν Ὦ κύριε, οὐχ οὗτοι οἱ λόγοι μου ἔτι ὄντος μου ἐν τῇ γῇ μου; διὰ τοῦτο προέφθασα τοῦ φυγεῖν εἰς Θαρσις, ὅτι ἔγνων ὅτι σὺ ἐλεήμων καὶ οἰκτίρμων, μακρόθυμος καὶ πολυέλεος καὶ μετανοῶν ἐπὶ ταῖς κακίαις.
And he prayed to the Lord and said: 'O Lord, were not these my words when I was still in my own land? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish, because I knew that you are merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting over calamities.'
Speech / retrospective explanationκαίThe prayer is a retrospective self-indictment: Jonah uses the Sinai formula (Exod 34:6 LXX) — Israel's highest praise of God — as his reason for disobedience. The credal citation (ἐλεήμων καὶ οἰκτίρμων…) is the theological crux of the book. In LXX ἐλεήμων comes before οἰκτίρμων, reversing the MT order (רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן). The verb μετανοῶν (pres. ptcp.) applied to God — 'relenting / changing his mind over calamities' — is a profound anthropomorphism the LXX preserves.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
προσεύξατοhe prayedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · προσεύχομαιmain verb→ ingressive aorist (turning to prayer)προσεύχομαι: the standard LXX/NT verb for formal prayer; the deponent middle is normal.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction/addressee)
κύριονthe LordAccusativeobject of πρός (addressee)κύριος: renders יהוה (Tetragrammaton) throughout LXX; the standard LXX substitution.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωspeech-introducing verb→ constative aorist
ὮOexclamatory particle (address)ὦ: vocative exclamation; marks emotionally weighted address.
κύριεLordVocativevocative (address)
οὐχnotnegating particle (rhetorical question expecting yes)
οὗτοιtheseNominativepredicate nominative (demonstrative subject)
οἱtheNominativearticle
λόγοιwordsNominativepredicate nominative (subject of verbless clause)λόγος: 'word, saying'; Jonah appeals to what he said before his flight.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession
ἔτιstilltemporal adverb
ὄντοςbeingPres Act Ptcp Gen Sg Masc · εἰμίgenitive absolute (temporal — 'while I was')→ durative present (ongoing state at that time)εἰμί: copula; in genitive absolute construction, time reference anchored to the moment before his flight.
μουmyGenitivesubject of genitive absolute
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)
τῇtheDativearticle
γῇlandDativedative of place (locative)γῆ: 'earth, land, country'; here Jonah's homeland (Israel).
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession
διὰbecause ofpreposition + accusative (causal)
τοῦτοthisAccusativeobject of διά (resumptive — pointing to the ὅτι clause following)
προέφθασαI was beforehand / I made hasteAor Act Indic 1 Sg · προφθάνωmain verb of complaint→ constative aorist (single decisive act of flight)προφθάνω: 'to anticipate, get there before, make haste'; rare compound; here, Jonah forestalled the divine mission by fleeing. Hebraistic use.
τοῦtoGenitivearticle (genitive with infinitive — purpose/result)
φυγεῖνfleeAor Act Inf · φεύγωinfinitive of purpose (after τοῦ)→ constative aoristφεύγω: 'flee, escape'; the infinitive with τοῦ marks the intended action — his flight to Tarshish.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (destination)
ΘαρσιςTarshishAccusativeindeclinable proper name (destination of flight)Θαρσις: Tarshish; LXX transliteration of תַּרְשִׁישׁ; traditionally identified with a distant western port, perhaps in Spain or Sardinia. Indeclinable.
ὅτιbecausecausal conjunction (grounds the flight)
ἔγνωνI knewAor Act Indic 1 Sg · γινώσκωmain verb of knowledge (causal clause)→ constative aorist (knowledge as established fact)γινώσκω: 'know (experientially)'; Jonah's foreknowledge of God's merciful character is the basis of his disobedience — a sharp theological irony.
ὅτιthatobject-clause conjunction (introducing the credal quotation)
σύyouNominativeemphatic subject nominative
ἐλεήμωνmercifulNominativepredicate adjective (Sinai formula — Exod 34:6 LXX, first attribute)ἐλεήμων: 'merciful, full of mercy'; from ἔλεος (hesed / חֶסֶד). LXX places ἐλεήμων before οἰκτίρμων, reversing MT רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן. The Sinai credal formula (Exod 34:6) is one of the most-cited OT texts in the OT itself.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (in the credal chain)
οἰκτίρμωνcompassionateNominativepredicate adjective (Sinai formula — second attribute)οἰκτίρμων: 'compassionate, pitying'; from οἶκτος ('pity'). Renders חַנּוּן (hannun, 'gracious') in Exod 34:6 MT.
μακρόθυμοςslow to angerNominativepredicate adjective (Sinai formula — third attribute)μακρόθυμος: literally 'long-spirited,' hence 'patient, slow to anger'; renders אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם ('long of nostrils') in Exod 34:6 MT.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
πολυέλεοςabounding in steadfast loveNominativepredicate adjective (Sinai formula — fourth attribute)πολυέλεος: 'greatly merciful, rich in mercy'; compound from πολύς + ἔλεος; renders רַב-חֶסֶד ('abundant in hesed') in Exod 34:6 MT. The word ἔλεος regularly renders חֶסֶד ('covenant loyalty/steadfast love').
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
μετανοῶνrelentingPres Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · μετανοέωpredicate participle (Sinai formula — fifth attribute, describing divine character)→ durative/customary present (habitual disposition of God)μετανοέω: 'change one's mind, repent, relent'; LXX uses the same word for human repentance and divine 'relenting' (MT נִחַם niham). Applied to God it is a profound anthropomorphism: he genuinely changes course in response to human repentance.
ἐπὶover / concerningpreposition + dative (reference/object of relenting)
ταῖςtheDativearticle
κακίαιςcalamities / evil deedsDativedative after ἐπί (object of God's relenting)κακία: 'badness, evil, trouble, calamity'; deliberately ambiguous — can mean human wickedness (on which God relents to punish) or the threatened disaster (which God relents from sending). Context here (Nineveh's reprieve) favours the latter.
3
καὶ νῦν, δέσποτα κύριε, λάβε τὴν ψυχήν μου ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ, ὅτι καλόν μοι τὸ ἀποθανεῖν ἢ ζῆν.
And now, O Master, Lord, take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.
Consequence / petitionκαὶ νῦνThe formula καὶ νῦν ('and now') marks the transition from ground to consequence: because God is merciful, Jonah requests death. The double address δέσποτα κύριε ('Master, Lord') is emphatic in the LXX, unlike MT's simple אֲדֹנָי. The petition echoes Elijah's death-wish in 1 Kgs 19:4 LXX (ἄρον δὴ τὴν ψυχήν μου), a deliberate typological resonance — the prophet under the broom tree and the prophet under his booth.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
νῦνnowtemporal adverb (transition marker: 'and now therefore')νῦν: 'now'; with καί forms the LXX formula καὶ νῦν marking logical consequence or appeal.
δέσποταMasterVocativevocative (emphatic double address — LXX expansion)δεσπότης: 'master, absolute sovereign'; LXX addition to the MT's single אֲדֹנָי. Emphasises God's absolute authority, heightening the irony of Jonah demanding death.
κύριεLordVocativevocative (second term of double address)κύριος: renders אֲדֹנָי; both terms together form an intensified divine address.
λάβεtakeAor Act Imper 2 Sg · λαμβάνωmain verb (petition/imperative)→ constative aorist (urgency — a single decisive act requested)λαμβάνω: 'take, receive'; imperative requesting God to take his life. Echoes Elijah's death-wish (1 Kgs 19:4 LXX ἄρον).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
ψυχήνlife / soulAccusativedirect objectψυχή: 'life, soul, self'; here equivalent to life itself. Renders נַפְשִׁי ('my life/self') in MT.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession
ἀπ᾽frompreposition + genitive (separation)
ἐμοῦmeGenitivegenitive after ἀπό (separation)
ὅτιfor / becausecausal conjunction (ground for the petition)
καλόνbetter / goodNominativepredicate adjective (verbless clause — comparative sense)καλός: 'good, fine'; in comparisons with ἤ, 'better.' Renders טוֹב (tov) in MT. The comparative construction without a comparative form is a Hebraism.
μοιfor meDativedative of advantage (ethical dative)
τὸtheNominativearticle (substantivizing the infinitive)
ἀποθανεῖνto dieAor Act Inf · ἀποθνῄσκωarticular infinitive (subject of verbless clause)→ constative aoristἀποθνῄσκω: 'die'; the articular infinitive τὸ ἀποθανεῖν functions as the grammatical subject of the verbless predication.
ἢthancomparative particle
ζῆνto livePres Act Inf · ζάωinfinitive (second term of comparison)→ durative present (ongoing life as alternative)ζάω: 'live, be alive'; the present infinitive emphasises continuous existence as something Jonah now devalues.
4
καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς Ιωναν Εἰ σφόδρα λελύπησαι σύ;
And the Lord said to Jonah: 'Are you very deeply grieved?'
Divine interrogationκαίGod answers not with comfort or rebuke but with a question: εἰ σφόδρα λελύπησαι σύ; The perfect λελύπησαι ('you have been grieved,' = 'you are grieved') expresses the abiding state of grief. The emphatic σύ ('you') at the end sets up the contrast: you, Jonah, are grieved — but what of the city? God does not deny or defend his mercy; he probes Jonah's anger, beginning a Socratic dialogue that runs to the book's end.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωspeech-introducing verb→ constative aorist
κύριοςthe LordNominativesubject nominativeκύριος: renders יהוה.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (addressee)
ΙωνανJonahAccusativeobject of πρός (addressee)
Εἰwhether / [introduces rhetorical question]interrogative particle (LXX Hebraism — εἰ = הֲ interrogative he)εἰ: in LXX regularly used for the interrogative הֲ (he), translating a yes/no question. Not a conditional here.
σφόδραvery / greatlyintensifying adverbσφόδρα: 'very, exceedingly, greatly'; frequent in LXX; renders מְאֹד (meod) and cognates.
λελύπησαιyou have been grieved / you are grievedPerf Pass Indic 2 Sg · λυπέωmain verb (interrogative clause)→ intensive perfect (abiding state of grief)λυπέω: 'grieve, pain'; the perfect passive λελύπησαι expresses a state persisting from the grief first described in 4:1.
σύyouNominativeemphatic subject (end position for contrastive stress)
5
καὶ ἐξῆλθεν Ιωνας ἐκ τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἀπέναντι τῆς πόλεως, καὶ ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ ἐκεῖ σκηνήν, καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐκεῖ ὑπὸ τὴν σκηνὴν ἐν σκιᾷ ἕως οὗ ἀπίδοι τί ἀποβήσεται τῇ πόλει.
And Jonah went out of the city and sat down opposite the city, and he made for himself a booth there; and he sat there under the booth in the shade to see what would happen to the city.
Narrative transition / settingκαίThis verse is transitional and has caused critical debate: if Jonah has already received God's word (4:2–4), why does he now watch to see what happens? Many interpreters see a seam or a flashback here; the LXX, like the MT, simply presents Jonah as watchfully hoping for judgment despite his outward complaint. The optative ἀπίδοι and subjunctive ἀποβήσεται mark the purpose clause as uncertain hope. Jonah's booth σκηνή echoes the Feast of Booths (Sukkoth) motif.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐξῆλθενwent outAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξέρχομαιmain verb→ constative aoristἐξέρχομαι: 'go out, depart'; Jonah exits the city — a spatial marker of his alienation from Nineveh.
ΙωναςJonahNominativesubject nominative
ἐκout ofpreposition + genitive (separation)
τῆςtheGenitivearticle
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive after ἐκ (source/separation)πόλις: 'city'; Nineveh, referred to throughout ch. 4 as 'the city.'
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐκάθισενsat downAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καθίζωsecond main verb→ ingressive aorist (taking up position)καθίζω: 'sit down, be seated'; ingressive aorist — he takes up the position of a watcher.
ἀπέναντιopposite / in front ofpreposition + genitive (spatial — facing)ἀπέναντι: 'opposite, in front of, facing'; LXX adverb-preposition; Jonah takes up a watching position directly facing the city.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive after ἀπέναντι
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐποίησενmadeAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ποιέωthird main verb→ constative aoristποιέω: 'make, do'; here 'made [for himself] a booth.'
ἑαυτῷfor himselfDativedative of advantage (reflexive indirect object)ἑαυτοῦ: reflexive pronoun; 'for himself.'
ἐκεῖtherelocative adverb
σκηνήνa booth / shelterAccusativedirect objectσκηνή: 'tent, booth, shelter'; echoes Sukkoth (Feast of Booths) imagery; the temporary shelter from which Jonah watches for the city's doom.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐκάθητοhe was sittingImpf Mid Indic 3 Sg · κάθημαιfourth main verb (imperfect — ongoing state)→ progressive imperfect (continuous vigil)κάθημαι: 'sit, be seated'; the imperfect (vs. the aorists) marks prolonged watching — a sustained vigil.
ἐκεῖtherelocative adverb (resumptive)
ὑπὸunderpreposition + accusative (spatial — beneath)
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
σκηνὴνboothAccusativeobject of ὑπό (shelter beneath)
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative — circumstance)
σκιᾷshadeDativedative of circumstance / locativeσκιά: 'shade, shadow'; the shade provided by the booth anticipates the shade of the κολόκυνθα in 4:6 and frames the irony — Jonah seeks shade from the sun while remaining unmoved by the city's need.
ἕωςuntiltemporal conjunction (purpose/expectation: 'until he might see')
οὗwhich [time]Genitivegenitive with ἕως (temporal)
ἀπίδοιhe might seeAor Act Opt 3 Sg · ἀφοράωoptative in purpose/result clause after ἕως (LXX idiom for uncertain expectation)→ constative aorist optative (hoped-for moment of seeing)ἀφοράω: 'look away toward, observe, see (from a distance)'; optative marks the hoped-for or uncertain outcome — Jonah watches in expectant uncertainty.
τίwhatNominativeinterrogative pronoun (subject of indirect question)
ἀποβήσεταιwill happen / will come outFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἀποβαίνωverb of indirect question→ predictive futureἀποβαίνω: 'go away, turn out, result'; future middle here = 'what will come out of / happen to.' The future tense within the indirect question preserves the original directness.
τῇtheDativearticle
πόλειcityDativedative of reference / disadvantage (what will happen to the city)
6
καὶ προσέταξεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς κολόκυνθαν καὶ ἀνέβη ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς τοῦ Ιωνα τοῦ εἶναι σκιὰν ὑπεράνω τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ τοῦ σκιάζειν αὐτῷ ἀπὸ τῶν κακῶν αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐχάρη Ιωνας ἐπὶ τῇ κολοκύνθῃ χαρὰν μεγάλην.
And the Lord God appointed a gourd-plant, and it grew up over the head of Jonah to be a shade over his head, to shelter him from his troubles; and Jonah rejoiced over the gourd with great joy.
Divine action / parabolic provisionκαίThe narrative sequence of divine 'appointments' (προσέταξεν) begins: God appoints the plant, then the worm (4:7), then the wind (4:8), controlling each natural agent. The κολόκυνθα ('gourd') is the most famous lexical crux in the book — Jerome's Vulgate choice of hedera ('ivy') vs. the LXX's cucurbit tradition generated the Augustine–Jerome debate. Jonah's great joy (χαρὰν μεγάλην — another cognate accusative Hebraism) over the plant is set up to be the pivot of the divine argument: he who pitied nothing for Nineveh now rejoices greatly over a plant.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
προσέταξενappointed / commandedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · προστάσσωmain verb→ constative aorist (single divine appointment)προστάσσω: 'command, assign, appoint'; the LXX's standard term for God's sovereign appointment of natural agents in Jonah (also 1:17; 4:7, 8). Shows God's control over the entire created order.
κύριοςthe LordNominativesubject nominative
ὁtheNominativearticle
θεὸςGodNominativeappositive to κύριοςθεός: 'God'; the double designation κύριος ὁ θεός renders יהוה אֱלֹהִים.
κολόκυνθανa gourd / κολόκυνθα-plantAccusativedirect object (appointed thing)κολόκυνθα: 'gourd'; in Rahlfs–Hanhart the LXX term for MT's קִיקָיוֹן (qiqayon), a botanical hapax. The LXX sides with the gourd (cucurbit) tradition; Jerome chose hedera (ivy), provoking Augustine's correction (Ep. 71). The plant grows and withers within 24 hours as a divine object lesson.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἀνέβηit grew up / came upAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀναβαίνωsecond main verb→ constative aorist (swift growth as fact)ἀναβαίνω: 'go up, rise, grow up'; used of plants growing; the overnight growth emphasises miraculous or providential speed.
ὑπὲρoverpreposition + genitive (spatial — above)
κεφαλῆςheadGenitivegenitive after ὑπέρ (spatial)κεφαλή: 'head'; the plant rises above Jonah's head, offering direct shelter.
τοῦofGenitivearticle
ΙωναJonahGenitivegenitive of possession
τοῦto / so as toGenitivearticle with infinitive (purpose: τοῦ + inf.)
εἶναιbePres Act Inf · εἰμίinfinitive of purpose (τοῦ εἶναι — so as to be)→ durative present infinitiveεἰμί: copula; in purpose construction τοῦ εἶναι σκιάν = 'so as to be a shade.'
σκιὰνa shadeAccusativepredicate accusative (complement of εἶναι)σκιά: 'shade, shadow'; repeats the σκιά motif from 4:5 — Jonah's booth gave shade, now God provides enhanced shade, heightening the irony when it is taken away.
ὑπεράνωabovepreposition + genitive (spatial — directly above)ὑπεράνω: 'far above, directly overhead'; strengthened compound of ὑπέρ + ἄνω.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle
κεφαλῆςheadGenitivegenitive after ὑπεράνω
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession
τοῦtoGenitivearticle with infinitive (second purpose clause)
σκιάζεινto shelter / shadePres Act Inf · σκιάζωinfinitive of purpose (second purpose: to give shade)→ durative present (ongoing sheltering action)σκιάζω: 'cast a shadow over, shelter from sun'; from σκιά; a vivid word emphasising the plant's protective function.
αὐτῷhimDativedative of advantage
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (separation/protection from)
τῶνtheGenitivearticle
κακῶνtroubles / hardshipsGenitivegenitive after ἀπό (what he is protected from)κακός: 'bad, evil'; neuter plural κακά = 'troubles, hardships, misfortunes'; here the physical discomforts (heat, exposure) of Jonah's watch. The same root κακία appears in the credal formula of 4:2.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession / reference
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐχάρηrejoicedAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · χαίρωthird main verb→ ingressive aorist (burst of joy)χαίρω: 'rejoice, be glad'; the ingressive aorist marks the sudden onset of great delight. Contrast: Jonah shows no joy at Nineveh's repentance but great joy over a gourd.
ΙωναςJonahNominativesubject nominative
ἐπὶover / because ofpreposition + dative (cause of joy)
τῇtheDativearticle
κολοκύνθῃgourdDativedative after ἐπί (object of joy)κολόκυνθα: same plant; the dative form κολοκύνθῃ. Jonah's great joy over this transient plant is the premise of God's a fortiori argument in 4:10–11.
χαρὰνjoyAccusativecognate accusative (Hebraism — internal object of ἐχάρη)χαρά: 'joy, gladness'; cognate accusative with χαίρω mirrors Hebrew שָׂמַח שִׂמְחָה גְדוֹלָה construction.
μεγάληνgreatAccusativeattributive adjective
7
καὶ προσέταξεν ὁ θεὸς σκώληκι ἕωθεν τῇ ἐπαύριον, καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὴν κολόκυνθαν, καὶ ἀπεξηράνθη.
And God appointed a worm at dawn the next day, and it struck the gourd, and it withered.
Divine reversal / second appointmentκαίGod's second appointment (σκώληκι — 'a worm') reverses the first: what he gave in the night (the plant) he removes at dawn. The brevity of the verse — three short clauses — mirrors the swiftness of the destruction. ἐπάταξεν ('struck') is the standard LXX word for God's smiting blow, used of plagues and judgment. ἀπεξηράνθη ('was withered') uses the compound ἀπό- for thoroughness: completely dried up.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
προσέταξενappointedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · προστάσσωmain verb→ constative aoristπροστάσσω: repeated from 4:6; the same verb ties together God's serial appointments — plant, worm, wind. Each created agent is entirely under divine command.
ὁtheNominativearticle
θεὸςGodNominativesubject nominative
σκώληκιa wormDativedative direct object (after προστάσσω — dat. of commissioned agent)σκώληξ: 'worm, maggot'; the LXX uses this word for עוֹלֵעַ (tola'at) — a small worm or grub that attacks plants. Its appearance at dawn is precisely timed by God.
ἕωθενat dawntemporal adverbἕωθεν: 'at dawn, in the early morning'; from ἕως ('dawn'). The worm acts at the precise moment the sun rises — maximising Jonah's suffering from the heat.
τῇtheDativearticle
ἐπαύριονnext dayDativedative of time (temporal expression: 'on the next day')ἐπαύριον: 'the next day, the morrow'; here adverbial dative with the article.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐπάταξενstruck / attackedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · πατάσσωsecond main verb→ constative aoristπατάσσω: 'strike, smite'; the LXX's standard word for divine smiting (plagues, enemies); used of the worm's attack on the plant — the worm is God's agent of judgment.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
κολόκυνθανgourdAccusativedirect objectκολόκυνθα: the same plant of 4:6; now struck by the worm.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἀπεξηράνθηit witheredAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀποξηραίνωthird main verb→ constative aorist (complete withering as fact)ἀποξηραίνω: 'dry up completely, wither'; the compound ἀπό- intensifies the thorough drying: the plant is completely dried up. Renders יִיבַשׁ (yibbash) in MT.
8
καὶ ἐγένετο ἅμα τῷ ἀνατεῖλαι τὸν ἥλιον καὶ προσέταξεν ὁ θεὸς πνεύματι καύσωνος ἀπηλιώτῃ συγκαίοντι, καὶ ἐπάταξεν ὁ ἥλιος ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν Ιωνα, καὶ ὠλιγοψύχει· καὶ ἀπελέγετο τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν Καλόν μοι ἀποθανεῖν ἢ ζῆν.
And it happened that at the rising of the sun, God appointed a scorching east wind to burn, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah, and he was faint; and he begged for his life to be taken and said: 'It is better for me to die than to live.'
Third divine appointment / crisisκαίGod's third appointment (πνεύματι καύσωνος ἀπηλιώτῃ — 'a burning eastern wind') compounds the misery: plant gone, scorching wind, sun striking his bare head. The imperfects ὠλιγοψύχει ('he was fainting') and ἀπελέγετο ('he was requesting') mark the prolonged physical distress. Jonah repeats his death-wish (nearly word-for-word from 4:3 — Καλόν μοι ἀποθανεῖν ἢ ζῆν), now triggered not by theological offence but by physical suffering — which prepares God's sarcastic question in 4:9.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐγένετοit came to pass / it happenedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (narrative formula: καὶ ἐγένετο + temporal phrase — LXX Hebraism)→ constative aoristγίνομαι: 'become, happen'; καὶ ἐγένετο renders וַיְהִי (wayyehi) — the LXX's standard narrative-transition Hebraism introducing temporal clauses.
ἅμαat the same time / astemporal particle (simultaneous with the sun's rising)ἅμα: 'at the same time, together with'; with the dative articular infinitive: 'at the moment of.'
τῷtheDativearticle (with infinitive — dative of time)
ἀνατεῖλαιriseAor Act Inf · ἀνατέλλωarticular infinitive (temporal — 'at the rising of')→ constative aorist infinitiveἀνατέλλω: 'rise, spring up' (of the sun, stars, plants); the articular dative infinitive τῷ ἀνατεῖλαι marks simultaneous time.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle
ἥλιονsunAccusativeaccusative subject of infinitiveἥλιος: 'sun'; subject of the infinitive ἀνατεῖλαι.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
προσέταξενappointedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · προστάσσωsecond main verb (third divine appointment in the series)→ constative aoristπροστάσσω: third occurrence in the chapter (cf. 4:6, 4:7); the verbal echo underlines God's comprehensive sovereignty over creation.
ὁtheNominativearticle
θεὸςGodNominativesubject nominative
πνεύματιa windDativedative (appointed agent — dative after προστάσσω)πνεῦμα: 'wind, breath, spirit'; here a scorching east wind appointed as instrument.
καύσωνοςscorching / burningGenitivegenitive of quality (characterising the wind)καύσων: 'burning heat, scorching'; from καίω ('burn'). The scorching east wind (sirocco) is a figure for divine judgment in Hos 13:15, Ezek 19:12.
ἀπηλιώτῃeast[ern]Dativedative in apposition to πνεύματι (specifying the wind's direction)ἀπηλιώτης: 'east wind' (literally 'from where the sun rises'); the technical LXX term for the sirocco-like hot east wind.
συγκαίοντιburning / scorchingPres Act Ptcp Dat Sg Masc · συγκαίωattributive participle modifying πνεύματι/ἀπηλιώτῃ→ durative present (continuously burning character)συγκαίω: 'burn up, scorch'; compound of σύν + καίω; the wind 'co-burns' with the sun, intensifying the heat.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἐπάταξενbeat down / struckAor Act Indic 3 Sg · πατάσσωthird main verb→ constative aoristπατάσσω: same verb used of the worm in 4:7; now the sun 'smites' Jonah — divine instruments in parallel.
ὁtheNominativearticle
ἥλιοςsunNominativesubject nominative
ἐπὶupon / onpreposition + accusative (point of impact)
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
κεφαλὴνheadAccusativeobject of ἐπί (struck on the head)κεφαλή: 'head'; the precise spot the plant had shaded (4:6) is now exposed — the plant's absence is made tangible.
Ιωναof JonahGenitivegenitive of possession
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ὠλιγοψύχειwas faint / was despondentImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · ὀλιγοψυχέωfourth main verb (imperfect — prolonged state of faintness)→ progressive imperfect (sustained physical and psychological faintness)ὀλιγοψυχέω: 'be faint-hearted, be despondent, despair'; compound of ὀλίγος ('little') + ψυχή ('soul/life'). LXX renders וַיִּתְעַלַּף ('he fainted/was about to faint'). The imperfect signals a prolonged collapse of strength.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ἀπελέγετοwas praying / was askingImpf Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἀπολέγωfifth main verb (imperfect — ongoing petition)→ progressive imperfect (repeated requesting)ἀπολέγω: 'speak away, renounce, beg off, request'; middle voice here = 'was requesting [release for] his life.' The imperfect records a sustained, repeated petition.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle
ψυχὴνlife / soulAccusativedirect object of ἀπελέγετοψυχή: 'life, soul'; repeats the petition of 4:3 (λάβε τὴν ψυχήν μου).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωspeech-introducing verb→ constative aorist
ΚαλόνbetterNominativepredicate adjective (verbless comparative clause — repeated from 4:3)καλός: as in 4:3; the near-verbatim repetition of the death-wish (Καλόν μοι ἀποθανεῖν ἢ ζῆν) creates a literary frame: Jonah's spiritual anger (4:3) and his physical suffering (4:8) produce the same response.
μοιfor meDativedative of advantage
ἀποθανεῖνto dieAor Act Inf · ἀποθνῄσκωinfinitive (subject of verbless clause — first term of comparison)→ constative aorist
ἢthancomparative particle
ζῆνto livePres Act Inf · ζάωinfinitive (second term of comparison)→ durative present
9
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεὸς πρὸς Ιωναν Εἰ σφόδρα λελύπησαι σὺ ἐπὶ τῇ κολοκύνθῃ; καὶ εἶπεν Σφόδρα λελύπημαι ἐγὼ ἕως θανάτου.
And God said to Jonah: 'Are you very deeply grieved over the gourd?' And he said: 'I am very deeply grieved, even to death.'
Divine interrogation (second) / defiant answerκαίGod repeats his question from 4:4 but now specifies the object: ἐπὶ τῇ κολοκύνθῃ ('over the gourd'). This sharpens the point — Jonah's grief is now exposed as being about a plant, not about God's justice. Jonah's answer is defiant and unguarded: Σφόδρα λελύπημαι ἐγὼ ἕως θανάτου. The addition ἕως θανάτου ('to the point of death') — which echoes the Gethsemane language of Mark 14:34 and Ps 42:6 LXX — is unique to this second death-wish and signals total despair. The emphatic ἐγώ ('I myself') at the end of the clause sets up the divine foil in 4:10–11.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωspeech-introducing verb→ constative aorist
ὁtheNominativearticle
θεὸςGodNominativesubject nominative
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (addressee)
ΙωνανJonahAccusativeobject of πρός
Εἰ[interrogative particle]interrogative particle (Hebraism — εἰ = הֲ)εἰ: interrogative he; repeats the question form of 4:4 exactly.
σφόδραvery / greatlyintensifying adverb
λελύπησαιyou have been grievedPerf Pass Indic 2 Sg · λυπέωmain verb of question→ intensive perfect (abiding state)λυπέω: same perfect as 4:4; the parallel phrasing makes God's second question feel almost ironic — the first question was about the city, this one is about a gourd.
σὺyouNominativeemphatic subject (contrast with God's own perspective)
ἐπὶover / aboutpreposition + dative (cause/object of grief)
τῇtheDativearticle
κολοκύνθῃgourdDativedative after ἐπί (object of grief)κολόκυνθα: fourth occurrence in the chapter; the plant that was the pivot of Jonah's great joy (4:6) is now named as the object of his great grief — completing the irony.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωspeech-introducing verb (Jonah's reply)→ constative aorist
Σφόδραvery / greatlyintensifying adverb
λελύπημαιI am grieved / I have been grievedPerf Pass Indic 1 Sg · λυπέωmain verb of Jonah's answer→ intensive perfect (confirmed state of grief)λυπέω: Jonah mirrors God's own question-form — he answers with the same perfect tense, confirming he is indeed in that state of deep grief.
ἐγὼINominativeemphatic subject (asserted with full weight — contrastive with God)
ἕωςeven to / as far aspreposition + genitive (extent — 'to the point of')
θανάτουdeathGenitivegenitive after ἕως (limit of extent)θάνατος: 'death'; ἕως θανάτου = 'to the point of death.' Echoed in Ps 41:6, 12 LXX (ἡ ψυχή μου ἕως θανάτου) and Matt 26:38 / Mark 14:34 (περίλυπός ἐστιν ἡ ψυχή μου ἕως θανάτου).
10
καὶ εἶπεν κύριος Σὺ ἐφείσω τῆς κολοκύνθης, ὑπὲρ ἧς οὐκ ἐκακοπάθησας ἐπ᾽ αὐτήν, οὐδὲ ἐξέθρεψας αὐτήν, ἣ ἐγενήθη ὑπὸ νύκτα καὶ ὑπὸ νύκτα ἀπώλετο·
And the Lord said: 'You have shown pity for the gourd, over which you did not labour and which you did not cause to grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night;'
Divine argument (major premise)καίThis verse states the lesser-to-greater argument's major premise: Jonah pitied (ἐφείσω) something he did not plant, grow, or earn — a transient, undeserved plant. Three relative clauses nail down Jonah's lack of investment: he did not suffer over it (οὐκ ἐκακοπάθησας), did not grow it (οὐδὲ ἐξέθρεψας), and it lived only a single night (ὑπὸ νύκτα καὶ ὑπὸ νύκτα ἀπώλετο). The verb φείδομαι ('spare, pity') frames both 4:10 and 4:11 — forming the rhetorical pivot of the book's last word.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωspeech-introducing verb→ constative aorist
κύριοςthe LordNominativesubject nominative
ΣὺYouNominativeemphatic subject (contrastive: you pitied, but I…)
ἐφείσωyou showed pity / you sparedAor Mid Indic 2 Sg · φείδομαιmain verb (major-premise statement)→ constative aorist (Jonah's act of pity as fact)φείδομαι: 'spare, refrain from harming, have pity on'; the key verb of the chapter's closing argument. MT חָסַתָּ (hast). The same root recurs in the future φείσομαι (4:11) — God's claimed right to pity Nineveh.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle
κολοκύνθηςgourdGenitivegenitive after φείδομαι (object of pity)κολόκυνθα: fifth occurrence; the plant now named as the object of Jonah's unearned pity, to be contrasted with the 120,000 persons.
ὑπὲρover / forpreposition + genitive (reference — 'on behalf of / regarding')
ἧςwhichGenitiverelative pronoun — genitive (antecedent: κολοκύνθης)
οὐκnotnegating particle
ἐκακοπάθησαςyou suffered / you labouredAor Act Indic 2 Sg · κακοπαθέωmain verb of first relative clause→ constative aorist (no labour expended)κακοπαθέω: 'suffer hardship, endure toil'; Jonah did not suffer over this plant. MT לֹא-עָמַלְתָּ בוֹ ('you did not labour over it').
ἐπ᾽over / forpreposition + accusative (reference)
αὐτήνitAccusativeobject of ἐπί
οὐδὲnor / and notnegative coordinating conjunction
ἐξέθρεψαςyou brought up / you caused to growAor Act Indic 2 Sg · ἐκτρέφωmain verb of second relative clause→ constative aoristἐκτρέφω: 'nourish, bring up, cause to grow'; Jonah had no hand in cultivating the plant. MT לֹא גִדַּלְתּוֹ ('you did not make it grow').
αὐτήνitAccusativedirect object
ἣwhichNominativerelative pronoun — nominative (introduces third relative clause)
ἐγενήθηcame into being / appearedAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb of third relative clause→ constative aoristγίνομαι: 'become, come into existence'; the plant simply appeared — it was not planted by Jonah.
ὑπὸin [a]preposition + accusative (temporal — within a period of)ὑπό: here temporal 'within the course of' (a night); unusual construction but clear in context.
νύκταnightAccusativeobject of ὑπό (temporal: in one night)νύξ: 'night'; the plant lived and died within a single night-to-night cycle.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction
ὑπὸin [a]preposition + accusative (temporal, repeated — second night)
νύκταnightAccusativeobject of ὑπόνύξ: the repeated ὑπὸ νύκτα … ὑπὸ νύκτα makes explicit that the plant's entire existence was nocturnal and transient: it rose in one night and perished the following night.
ἀπώλετοit perishedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἀπόλλυμιsecond verb of third relative clause→ constative aoristἀπόλλυμι: 'destroy, perish'; the middle ἀπώλετο = 'it perished.' The plant's brevity underlines the absurdity of Jonah's depth of grief.
11
καὶ ἐγὼ οὐ φείσομαι ὑπὲρ Νινευη τῆς πόλεως τῆς μεγάλης, ἐν ᾗ κατοικοῦσιν πλείους δώδεκα μυριάδες ἀνθρώπων, οἵτινες οὐκ ἔγνωσαν δεξιὰν αὐτῶν ἢ ἀριστερὰν αὐτῶν, καὶ κτήνη πολλά;
And shall I not show pity for Nineveh, the great city, in which dwell more than twelve myriads of persons, who do not know their right hand from their left, and many cattle?
Divine conclusion / open question (minor premise + conclusion of a fortiori)καίThe book's final verse is a question with no recorded answer — the most celebrated open ending in the Hebrew Bible. God draws the a fortiori conclusion: if you (Jonah) pitied the gourd, shall not I (ἐγὼ — emphatic) pity the great city? The symmetry of φείσομαι (v.11) with ἐφείσω (v.10) makes the argument explicit. The 120,000 'who do not know their right hand from their left' is variously interpreted: children below the age of moral discernment, or (more likely) the city's population as morally ignorant — the same ignorance that was met by God's patience rather than wrath. The addition of 'many cattle' (καὶ κτήνη πολλά) widens divine concern to creation itself. The book ends here — with a future tense (φείσομαι) hanging as an unanswered question.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (connects the conclusion to the major premise of v.10)
ἐγὼINominativeemphatic subject (contrastive with σύ of v.10 — I/you contrast)The emphatic ἐγώ sets God's right to pity over against Jonah's demonstrated pity: you pitied a plant — shall not I pity a great city?
οὐnotnegating particle (within rhetorical question expecting 'yes, you will')
φείσομαιshall I spare / shall I show pityFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · φείδομαιmain verb (rhetorical question — the book's final word)→ deliberative future (expressing God's rhetorical self-questioning)φείδομαι: 'spare, show pity, refrain from punishing'; future tense turns the book's last moment into an open question — οὐ φείσομαι is not a statement that God will spare, but a question inviting Jonah (and the reader) to supply the obvious answer: 'Yes, you shall.' The verb brackets 4:10–11 with ἐφείσω.
ὑπὲρfor / overpreposition + genitive (object of pity — 'on behalf of')
ΝινευηNinevehGenitiveindeclinable proper name (object of ὑπέρ)Νινευή: LXX transliteration of נִינְוֵה; indeclinable. The great Assyrian capital, enemy of Israel.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive in apposition to Νινευήπόλις: repeated throughout; 'the great city' is the constant epithet for Nineveh in Jonah (1:2; 3:2, 3; 4:11).
τῆςtheGenitivearticle
μεγάληςgreatGenitiveattributive adjective (in apposition)μέγας: 'great, large'; Nineveh as 'the great city' (ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη) is a formula in Jonah and links to the primordial city-building tradition of Genesis.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)
ᾗwhichDativerelative pronoun — dative (antecedent: πόλεως)
κατοικοῦσινdwellPres Act Indic 3 Pl · κατοικέωverb of relative clause→ durative present (ongoing population)κατοικέω: 'dwell, inhabit, reside'; present tense — these people are still there, now spared.
πλείουςmore thanNominativepredicate adjective (comparative — more than [twelve myriads])πολύς (comp. πλείων): 'more, greater in number'; πλείους δώδεκα μυριάδες = 'more than 120,000.'
δώδεκαtwelvenumeral (indeclinable)δώδεκα: '12'; indeclinable; δώδεκα μυριάδες = 12 × 10,000 = 120,000.
μυριάδεςmyriads / ten-thousandsNominativenominative (subject of κατοικοῦσιν — extent of population)μυριάς: 'ten thousand, myriad'; μυριάδες is the LXX standard for large round numbers; 120,000 is a literary hyperbole for an enormous city.
ἀνθρώπωνof personsGenitivepartitive genitiveἄνθρωπος: 'person, human being'; the partitive genitive specifies the class — persons (not animals).
οἵτινεςwhoNominativerelative pronoun (qualitative — 'the sort who') — subject of οὐκ ἔγνωσανὅστις: qualitative relative 'whoever, the sort who'; the qualitative force stresses the character of these people — not individually wicked but ignorant.
οὐκnotnegating particle
ἔγνωσανthey knew / they knowAor Act Indic 3 Pl · γινώσκωmain verb of relative clause→ constative aorist (state of moral ignorance described as fact)γινώσκω: 'know'; the constative aorist as a description of moral condition: these people have not known the difference between right and left — a proverbial expression of moral or developmental ignorance.
δεξιὰνright [hand]Accusativedirect object (first term of the contrast)δεξιά: 'right hand'; with ἀριστερά forms a merism for moral discernment. The phrase 'does not know right from left' is an idiom for moral ignorance or developmental immaturity.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession
ἢfrom / ordisjunctive particle (separating the two terms of comparison)
ἀριστερὰνleft [hand]Accusativesecond direct object (second term of the contrast)ἀριστερά: 'left hand'; completing the idiom 'right hand or left hand' — not knowing the moral or physical distinction.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (adds cattle to the list of those to be pitied)
κτήνηcattle / livestockNominativenominative (added object of pity — elliptical: 'and many cattle [dwell there]')κτῆνος: 'beast, cattle, livestock'; the inclusion of animals in God's compassion broadens the scope of divine care to all of creation. Parallels the cattle mentioned in the Ninevite fast decree (Jon 3:7–8 LXX).
πολλάmanyNominativeattributive adjective