Jonah Waits Outside Nineveh

Jonah 1–4

The Big Idea

God shows mercy when people turn away from wrongdoing. We can bring strong feelings to God, while learning to care about others too.

The Bible Story

Jonah and the Great Fish

Jonah 4:1–5 describes Jonah’s anger after God does not bring disaster on Nineveh. The people of Nineveh had believed God, fasted, worn sackcloth, and turned from their evil. God saw what they did and did not bring the announced disaster. Jonah was angry and said that he had known God was gracious and compassionate. He left the city and made a shelter east of Nineveh, where he waited to see what would happen. This passage presents Jonah’s strong feeling honestly, but it does not present his anger as the right response. The account remains focused on Jonah’s limited compassion and God’s mercy toward people who turn from evil.

Themes

God’s authority over wind, sea, fish, plant, worm, and wind God’s compassion for Nineveh Jonah’s anger and limited compassion Mercy toward people who turn from evil Obedience Obedience to God’s command Prayer and repentance

Bible moment

The Bible moment

Look closely

What children can notice

Jonah sits or stands beneath a simple shelter east of Nineveh, visibly upset while looking back toward the city. The composition acknowledges his anger without presenting it as the right response.

Talk together

Talk about it

Why was Jonah upset when Nineveh was spared?
How can we show compassion to people who are turning from wrong?

For families, church, and class

Use this page

Use this page after reading Jonah 3:5–10 and Jonah 4:1–5. Invite children to notice the difference between Jonah’s anger and God’s compassion. Remind them that the picture shows the story’s setting, not an approval of Jonah’s response. Avoid adding a spoken reply from God or imagining what Jonah did next.

Source note

From this passage

Jonah 4:1–5 · Jonah

Jonah sits or stands beneath a simple shelter east of Nineveh, visibly upset while looking back toward the city. The composition acknowledges his anger without presenting it as the right response.