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And he prayed; in a strange distempered humour sets about this work, and accordingly manageth it; when he designs to pray, his turbulent affections hurry him into unseemly contests and quarrels with God, yet since he fell on his knees with purpose to pray to God, the Scriptures report it as his prayer to the Lord.
And said; either spake it out in words, or else thus reasoned within himself, and now leaves it recorded what were his words, or his thoughts.
I pray thee, O Lord: this begins his complaint, or quarrel against the Lord.
Was not this my saying? did I not think of this? was I not apprehensive that it would be so I should preach avenging justice, and thou wouldst exercise pardoning mercy; thy pardon would contradict my preaching?
In my country; either in Canaan, or Galilee, or in Gath-hepher, where had I died, and never been a prophet to Nineveh, I had ever had the reputation of a true prophet, but now at Nineveh I shall be reported a false dreamer.
Therefore I fled; there was reason for what I did when I declined the message, and fled away from thy presence: he seems to justify that flight which God condemned in him by a miraculous punishment inflicted on him,
Unto Tarshis: see Jon_1:3.
For I knew; he might know it by God’s dealings with so exorbitantly passionate a man as Jonah himself was, but he knew it from God’s account of himself, Exo_34:6,7, and many other places of the Scripture.
That thou art a gracious God, who hath bowels of compassion, a heart that is a fountain of tender mercy.
And merciful; readily expressing his compassions toward sinners that need and sue for mercy.
Slow to anger; who dost wait long for the sinner’s return, and dost not hasten thy executions.
And of great kindness; and when provoked thou art yet of an infinite goodness lenity, and kindness, and forgivest the sinner that repenteth.
And repentest thee of the evil: see Amo_3:9,10.