1 Jonah was upset and became angry because Yahweh didn't kill the people of Nineveh as he had said he would. 2 Jonah said to Yahweh, “I knew while I was still at home, when you first told me, I knew what you would do. If people stop doing wrong things I know you will forgive them. That is why I wanted to run away to Spain. I knew that you are full of love and pity. And you don't get angry quickly, you are kind. And you are always ready to change your mind and not punish people. 3 I want to die now and not live any longer. So let me die.”

4 Yahweh said to Jonah, “Why are you angry? You shouldn't be angry.”

5 Jonah went out of the city to the east and sat down. He made a little shelter there and sat in its shade. He waited and waited to see if Yahweh would destroy the city. 6 Yahweh God made a plant grow in the night so Jonah could sit in its shade. Jonah was pleased, and he was comfortable. He stayed there until the sun went down. Then at night he slept. 7 At dawn the next day God sent a caterpillar and it ate the plant he had grown for shade for Jonah. And the plant died.

8 The sun came up and kept on climbing higher. And God sent a hot wind from the east. After a while the sun burnt Jonah's head, and he became dizzy. So he said, “Now I want to die and not live any longer.”

9 But God said to him, “Why are you angry about that plant? You shouldn't be angry about that!” Jonah answered, “Yes, I will be angry about it. I am very angry and I wish I could die!”

10 Yahweh said to Jonah, “One night that plant grew and the next night it died. You didn't make it grow and yet you felt sorry for it, didn't you! 11 I should feel very sorry for those people of Nineveh. Many people live in that city. There are many children too, and they don't know anything about doing wrong. Many bullocks and other animals also live there. So that is why I didn't kill those people.”

<- Jonah 3