Jonah 4:8 nasb — When the sun came up God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah's head so that he became faint…

NASB

"When the sun came up God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah's head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, "Death is better to me than life.""

— Jonah 4:8, NASB

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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

Then Jonah went out from the city and sat east of it. There he made a shelter for himself and sat under it in the shade until he could see what would happen in the city.

6

So the LORD God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. And Jonah was extremely happy about the plant.

7

But God appointed a worm when dawn came the next day and it attacked the plant and it withered.

8

When the sun came up God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah's head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, "Death is better to me than life."

9

Then God said to Jonah, "Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant?" And he said, "I have good reason to be angry, even to death."

10

Then the LORD said, "You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight.

11

"Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?"

Jonah 4:8 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Jonah 4:8 say?
Jonah 4:8 in the NASB reads: “When the sun came up God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah's head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, "Death is better to me than life."”
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 (NASB): “When the sun came up God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah's head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, "Death is better to me than life."” 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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