Jonah 4:8 akjv — And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on the head of Jo…

American King James Version

"And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on 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. "

— Jonah 4:8, American King James Version

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Jonah 4:8 in Other Translations

7 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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.”

  • ASV

    “And it came to pass, when the sun arose, that God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. ”

  • WEB

    “It happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah's head, so that he fainted, and requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is better for me to die than to live."”

  • NET

    “When the sun began to shine, God sent a hot east wind. So the sun beat down on Jonah’s head, and he grew faint. So he despaired of life, and said,“I would rather die than live!””

  • DRB

    “And when the sun was risen, the Lord commanded a hot and burning wind: and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, and he broiled with the heat: and he desired for his soul that he might die, and said: It is better for me to die than to live.”

  • BBE

    “Then when the sun came up, God sent a burning east wind: and so great was the heat of the sun on his head that Jonah was overcome, and, requesting death for himself, said, Death is better for me than life.”

  • KJVA

    “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.”

Jonah 4 — Context

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.

6

And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.

7

But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.

8

And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on 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.

9

And God said to Jonah, Do you well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even to death.

10

Then said the LORD, You have had pity on the gourd, for the which you have not labored, neither made it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:

11

And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than six score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

Jonah 4:8 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Jonah 4:8 say?
Jonah 4:8 in the American King James Version reads: “And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on 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. ”
Where is Jonah 4:8 in the Bible?
Jonah 4:8 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Jonah, chapter 4, verse 8.
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 4:8.
What translation should I read Jonah 4:8 in?
Jonah 4:8 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 4:8?
Jonah 4:8 reads (AKJV): “And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on 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. ” 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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