God loves everyone

1 But Jonah was greatly displeased at this, and he was in dignant.

2 He prayed to Yahweh and said, ¡°O Yah weh, is this not what I said when I was yet in my own coun try? This is why I fled to Tar shish. I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and full of love, and you relent from imposing terrible punishment.

3 I beseech you now, Yahweh, to take my life, for now it is better for me to die than to live.¡±

4 But Yahweh replied, ¡°What right have you to be angry?¡±

5 Jonah then left the city. He went to a place east of it, built himself a shelter and sat under its shade to wait and see what would happen to Nine veh.

6 Then Yahweh God provided a castor-oil plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade over his head and to ease his discomfort. Jonah was very happy about the plant.

7 But the next day, at dawn, God sent a worm which attacked the plant and made it wither.

8 When the sun rose, God sent a scorching east wind; the sun blazed down upon Jo nah¡¯s head, and he grew faint. His death wish returned and he said, ¡°It is better for me to die than to live.¡±

9 Then God asked Jonah, ¡°Do you have a right to be angry about the castor-oil plant?¡± Jonah answered, ¡°I am right to be angry enough to wish to die.¡±

10 Yahweh said, ¡°You are concerned about a plant which cost you no labor to make it grow. Overnight it sprang up, and overnight it perished.

11 But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot distinguish right from left and they have many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned for such a great city?¡±