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.
the Lord.
Jonah 1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Psalm 103:10-14 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities…
gourd.
So.
Esther 5:9 Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.
Proverbs 23:5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
Isaiah 39:2 And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.
was exceeding glad.
and it grew up to provide shade over Jonah’s head
The rapid growth of the vine underscores the miraculous nature of God's provision. In the harsh climate of the Middle East, shade is a precious commodity, highlighting God's compassion even when Jonah is in a state of anger and discontent. This act of providing shade can be seen as a parallel to God's protection and care for Israel, offering relief and comfort in times of distress.
to ease his discomfort
Jonah's discomfort is both physical and spiritual. Physically, he is exposed to the harsh sun, but spiritually, he is in turmoil over God's mercy towards Nineveh. The vine serves as a temporary relief, symbolizing how God often provides comfort even when we are in rebellion or misunderstanding His plans. This reflects the broader biblical theme of God's grace being extended to the undeserving.
and Jonah was greatly pleased with the plant
Jonah's pleasure in the plant reveals his self-centeredness and lack of understanding of God's broader purposes. His joy is short-lived and tied to his immediate comfort, contrasting with his displeasure at Nineveh's repentance. This highlights the human tendency to value personal comfort over divine compassion and mission. Jonah's reaction serves as a mirror to the reader, challenging them to consider their own responses to God's actions and priorities.
“So the LORD God appointed a vine…” (Jonah 4:6)
• “Appointed” highlights God’s deliberate, hands-on sovereignty, echoing earlier moments where He “appointed a great fish” (Jonah 1:17) and later “appointed a worm” (Jonah 4:7).
• Scripture often shows God commissioning created things to carry out His purposes—whether wind (Exodus 10:13), a raven (1 Kings 17:4), or a plant here.
• Psalm 33:9-11 affirms that when the LORD speaks, His plans stand firm; nothing is accidental in His world.
“…and it grew up…” (Jonah 4:6)
• The plant’s rapid growth underscores God’s power over nature. He can accelerate processes that normally take weeks or years (see Psalm 104:14).
• Mark 4:27-28 pictures seeds sprouting “he does not know how,” reminding us that growth—ordinary or extraordinary—comes from God.
• The sudden appearance of shade contrasts Jonah’s slow-growing compassion, spotlighting his spiritual lag.
“…to provide shade over Jonah’s head…” (Jonah 4:6)
• Shade was precious in the scorching Mesopotamian sun; God meets a basic, physical need. Psalm 121:5 comforts, “The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand.”
• Isaiah 4:6 speaks of God’s protective canopy as “a shade by day from the heat,” showing that practical care can illustrate deeper spiritual shelter.
• The placement “over Jonah’s head” is both literal and symbolic—Jonah stands under God’s gracious cover even while harboring resentment toward Nineveh.
“…to ease his discomfort…” (Jonah 4:6)
• The Hebrew term conveys relief from misery; God’s compassion extends to a prophet who has just complained (Jonah 4:1-3).
• Exodus 34:6 declares the LORD “compassionate and gracious,” a truth vividly displayed here.
• 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 calls Him “the God of all comfort,” showing a consistent biblical pattern: God comforts even those who need correction.
“…and Jonah was greatly pleased with the plant.” (Jonah 4:6)
• His joy reveals how quickly our hearts latch onto personal comfort. Luke 15:28-30 shows the older brother thrilled with possessions yet angry over mercy to others—Jonah’s spiritual twin.
• The contrast is sharp: he rejoices over shade but not over 120,000 spared lives (Jonah 4:10-11).
• This exposes a common blind spot: valuing gifts above the Giver and personal ease above people.
Jonah 4:6 portrays a sovereign God who commands creation to serve His loving purposes. He appoints, accelerates growth, and provides tangible relief, all while revealing Jonah’s misplaced priorities. The verse challenges us to recognize God’s compassionate sovereignty in our lives and to match His heart for people, valuing His mercy above our comfort.
(6) Prepared.--See Note, Jonah 1:17.A gourd.--So the LXX. render the Hebrew qiqaion, which, since the time of Jerome, has been usually identified with the Arabic el keroa, the castor-oil tree (Ricinus communis, or Palma Christi; see margin). It is a large shrub, having large palmate leaves, with serrated lobes, and spikes of blossoms which produce the seed, whence the well-known medicinal oil is extracted, in small rough husks. The strongest argument in favour of this view is the proposed derivation of the Hebrew name from the Egyptian kiki, and the rabbinical name for castor-oil, kiki-oil.[22] In spite of this etymological argument, Dr. Tristram says: "Practical reasons cause me to lean strongly to the rendering of our English version, gourd, i.e., the bottle gourd (Cucurbita pepo). In Palestine the vernacularnames are almost identical in sound, "kurah" being the gourd, "khurwah" the castor-oil tree. But the gourd is very commonly employed in Palestine for the purpose of shading arbours. Its rapid growth and large leaves render it admirably adapted for training on trellis-work . . . But the plant withers as rapidly as it shoots, and after a storm or any injury to its stem, its fruit may be seen hanging from the leafless tendrils, which so lately concealed it, a type of melancholy desolation" (Nat Hist. of the Bible, p. 449).
[22] A Semitic origin for the word is rendered probable by its discovery under the form, quqanitu, on a small tablet which the Babylonian king Marduk-bal-iddin (Merodach-baladan) ordered to be set in a garden. (See letters of Dr. F. Delitzsch, to the Athen?um of May 26th and June 9th, 1883.)
Made it to come up.--Rather, it came up.
Deliver.--In the original there is a play of words on this word and shadow.
Verses 6, 7. - 3. God causes a plant to spring up in order to shade Jonah from the sun; but it is made soon to wither away and leave him exposed to the scorching rays. Verse 6. - Prepared (vers. 7, 8); appointed (see note on Jonah 1:17). A gourd; Hebrew, kikaion (here only in the Old Testament); Septuagint, κολοκύνθη," pumpkin;" Vulgate, hedera; Aquila and Theodotion, κυκεών. Jerome describes this as a shrub called in Syriac elkeroa, and common in the sandy regions of Palestine. It has large leaves and grows to a considerable height in a very few days, so that a mere shrub becomes quickly a small tree. The scientific name of this plant is Ricinus communis; in Egyptian, kiki; in Assyrian, kukanitu. A drawing of it is given in Dr Pusey's 'Commentary,' p 260. It is also known by the name of the Palma Christi, and from its seeds is expressed "castor oil." But it is very doubtful whether this is the plant intended. Certainly the ricinus is never used in the East as a protection against the sun, for which its straggling, open growth renders it unsuitable; while the gourd, as Mr. Tristram testifies ('Land of Israel,' p. 37), is used universally to form trellises for shading arbours and summer houses, and affords a most effectual screen. "Orientals," says Dr. Thomson ('The Land and the Book,' p. 15), "never dream of training a castor-oil plant overs booth, or planting it for a shade, and they would have but small respect for any one who did. It is in no way adapted for that purpose, while thousands of arbours are covered with various creepers of the general gourd family." With this testimony it is well to be satisfied. Whatever the plant was, its growth was abnormal in the present ease, though the rapidity with which it developed was merely a quickening of its ordinary powers, in due accordance with its nature and character. From his grief; Septuagint, ἀπὸ τῶν κακῶν αὐτοῦ, "from his evils;" Vulgate, ut... protegeret eum. The Hebrew word is the same as in ver. 1, and it refers, not so much to the physical discomfort occasioned by the heat, but rather to the condition of his mind, the vexation and disappointment under which he was suffering. We exceeding glad; literally, rejoiced a great joy; ἐχάρη χαρὰν μεγάλην (Septuagint). The candour and simplicity of the writer throughout are very remarkable. He may have seen in this providential shelter an intimation that God approved of his intention to wait and see the issue.