Jonah 4:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Observe once more that the Almighty God, in His profound humanity, engages with the innocent souls of the saints, embodying a tender love that rivals that of devoted parents. When the gourd provides him with shade, the Prophet experiences immense joy. Subsequently, through the workings of Divine Providence, a caterpillar brings destruction and a scorching wind assaults him, illustrating that the shade was indeed a precious and vital gift, heightening his sorrow at its loss. Thus, being deeply troubled over something seemingly trivial, namely a gourd, he would refrain from reproaching the divine compassion, even if it chose to extend mercy and grace to renowned cities teeming with countless inhabitants. Consequently, God adeptly poses the inquiry, "Art thou greatly grieved," regarding a mere plant. The Prophet acknowledges this feeling, ultimately serving as a profound testimony to God’s love for humanity.

And the Lord asked Jonah, Are you rightly troubled over the plant? To which Jonah replied, I am troubled to the point of death. In a similar vein, the Lord God questioned Jonah, Are you so deeply distressed for the gourd? Jonah answered, I am deeply distressed, even to the point of death. Earlier, when the Ninevites were turning to repentance and the pagan city was spared, the prophet responded differently to the question, “Are you rightly troubled?” Understanding God's goodness, mercy, patience, and willingness to forgive, he did not mourn for the salvation of the Gentiles.

Initially angered by the transgressions of the Ninevites, God was softened by the lamentations of the young ones. While it is noted that the entire populace grieved, the plight of the innocent children warranted a greater measure of compassion. Thus, God questions Jonah, saying, You are saddened for the plant, and added, Should I not feel compassion for Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand individuals who cannot discern their right hand from their left?

Jonah’s delight in the shade of the plant was fleeting. As dawn broke, it withered away, consumed by a worm, as directed by God. At sunrise, again at God’s command, a scorching wind blew, and the combined heat of the sun and the wind began to torment the prophet’s unprotected head, leading him to despair and denounce his existence — he expressed that he wished for death, asserting that it was preferable to living. This despondent state concerning the perished gourd provided the Lord a chance to impart an important lesson about mercy toward the Ninevites. The Lord inquired of Jonah, “Are you right to be angry about the plant?” This question highlights Jonah’s prior lament regarding Nineveh’s forgiveness.