Jonah 4:2 kjv — 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? There…

King James Version

"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."

— Jonah 4:2, King James Version

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Jonah 4:2 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • ASV

    “And he prayed unto Jehovah, and said, I pray thee, O Jehovah, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I hasted to flee unto Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and repentest thee of the evil. ”

  • WEB

    “He prayed to Yahweh, and said, "Please, Yahweh, wasn't this what I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore I hurried to flee to Tarshish, for I knew that you are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and you relent of doing harm.”

  • NET

    “He prayed to the LORD and said,“Oh, LORD, this is just what I thought would happen when I was in my own country. This is what I tried to prevent by attempting to escape to Tarshish!– because I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in mercy, and one who relents concerning threatened judgment.”

  • DRB

    “And he prayed to the Lord, and said: I beseech thee, O Lord, is not this what I said, when I was yet in my own country? therefore I went before to flee into Tharsis: for I know that thou art a gracious and merciful God, patient, and of much compassion, and easy to forgive evil.”

  • BBE

    “And he made prayer to the Lord and said, O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still in my country? This is why I took care to go in flight to Tarshish: for I was certain that you were a loving God, full of pity, slow to be angry and great in mercy, and ready to be turned from your purpose of evil.”

  • KJVA

    “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.”

Jonah 4 — Context

1

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.

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.

3

Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.

4

Then said the Lord, Doest thou well to be angry?

5

So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.

Jonah 4:2 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Jonah 4:2 say?
Jonah 4:2 in the King James Version reads: “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.”
Where is Jonah 4:2 in the Bible?
Jonah 4:2 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Jonah, chapter 4, verse 2.
Who wrote Jonah?
Jonah is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Jonah son of Amittai). It was written c. 785–760 BC.
What is the book of Jonah about?
Jonah, sent to preach repentance to Israel's enemies in Nineveh, runs the opposite direction — and ends up in the belly of a great fish. The story confronts every smug heart with the question: do you want God's mercy only for yourself, or for them too?
What are the major themes of Jonah?
Jonah explores themes including Mercy, Repentance, Nations, Reluctant Prophet, Sovereignty. These themes shape the meaning and context of Jonah 4:2.
What translation should I read Jonah 4:2 in?
Jonah 4:2 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Jonah 4:2?
Jonah 4:2 reads (KJV): “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.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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