Given

ambiguity in both terms and context, the meaning of the phrase ‫ ל ַה ִ ֥צּי ְל ל֖ וֹ‬

‫ מ ָ ֵֽרע ָ֑תוֹ‬in Jonah 4:6 is up for a certain amount of debate. Thus we shall examine the

possibilities in order to determine which meaning fits best or even whether or not

some form of double entendre is meant.

The phrase in question occurs in a purpose clause explaining why the LORD

God has appointed a plant. The ambiguity of the phrase in general is a result of two

possible meanings for the words ‫ נצל‬and ‫רעה‬. ‫ נצל‬can mean “to deliver” – in the sense

of rescue – deriving from the concrete idea of physical removal. (HALOT) However

the hiphil form ‫ הציל‬could be slightly emended and understood as ‫ צלל‬and thus be

translated “to shade.” The word ‫ רעה‬also has a wide semantic range and can mean

distress/trouble or wickedness. (HALOT) Both meanings occur in Jonah.

(Alexander, 128) If ‫ נצל‬is understood as ‫צלל‬, then the meaning would explicitly be

that YHWH appointed the plant in order to relieve Jonah of the intense heat from the

sun – “To shade Jonah from his discomfort.” The LXX seems to reflect ‫ צלל‬and this

meaning seems obvious from the context. So much so that Norman Snaith matter-

of-factly states that it is certain that the LXX’s rendering is best. (Snaith, 38) The

clause is also potentially in parallelism with the preceding purpose statement: “To

provide shade on his head.” In this case we would understand ‫ רעה‬as referring to the

sun’s heat and the discomfort it caused Jonah. However ‫ הציל‬could be read ‫ נצל‬and

understood as “deliver” and the aforementioned sense still be the correct one. It

simply would not be as explicit. The other possible sense would be referring to the

plant as YHWH’s object lesson that would deliver Jonah from his sinful anger and

disposition. In this case we would have two separate purpose statements, covering
the dual purpose of the plant. ‫ רעה‬would then be understood as “wickedness”. The

entire book of Jonah has presented a more than reluctant prophet responding to

God in all the wrong ways, culminating in “he was exceedingly angry.” Given the

final end of the plant we can see how YHWH uses this as an object lesson in order to

confront Jonah with his unreasonable attitude. And so the question is whether this

purpose statement covers only the short term (Timmer, 128) or the long term

(Sasson, 292). However there is a final possibility. The statement might be

deliberately meant as a double entendre. ‫ נצל‬could have been chosen for its close

sound to ‫( צלל‬Stuart, 499) and ‫ רעה‬chosen for its ambiguity. Furthermore there is a

possible connection between Jonah’s anger and his discomfort. The verb used for

being angry, ‫חרה‬, derives from the idea of becoming hot. (HALOT) Jonah’s ‫ רעה‬was

simultaneously his anger and the sun’s heat. Thus the author might be using the

multiple layers of ‫נצל‬, ‫רעה‬, and ‫חרה‬, to craft an artistically sophisticated and rich

statement. The meaning would be – “God appointed a plant in order to relieve Jonah

from the heat and deliver him from his wicked anger.”

Ultimately it seems unnecessary to adopt any emendations to the Masoretic

text. Even if one strongly desires to adopt a reading that understands the reference

only to the plant’s shade-providing nature, this is possible with the text as is.

However given the context and the dual nature of key terms, it seems most probable

that the author of Jonah is giving us a paronomasia meant to look forward to the

plant’s ultimate purpose – to confront Jonah’s sin.