Grammatical and Syntactical Analysis on

Jonah 4

As we approach a book like Jonah which combines poetry,

prophecy and Narrative is important to understand what parts or
.what chapters fall in each category
We also need to understand that to be able to translate correctly
and follow the authors intent in chapter 4 of Jonah we need to see
.some similarities and paterns
In this syntax analysis we will focus on a few words, verbs, clauses
and particles to understand correctly the Hebrew text of this
.chapter

We will see that the begining word of chapter 4:1‫ַוֵּיַר ע‬

Is Narrative discourse and as we know the vayyiqtol verbs are the
backbone of biblical narratives. And in this case its a transition
from chapter 3 to chapter 4. It also reflects the difference on the

We will continue to see this vayyiqtol verbs through this chapter

v2, v4, v5, v6, v7, v8, v9, v10 as this chapter is mainly a Narrative
.discourse

Even though many of the verbs are in vayyiqtol not all of them are
in the same in the same stem (ie not all of the are in the Qal stem)

Besides this we will have to focus on other aspects of the grammar

and syntax to be able to discern the true meaning of chapter 4, and
answer questions such as why is Jonah angry about? it is right for
Jonah to be angry? which is the best way to translate this phrase in
verse 4 "" in verse 9 (very similar but with the added preposition)
v4‫"ַהֵהיֵטב ָחָר ה ָלְך‬
"
" v9 ‫"ַהֵהיֵטב ָחָר ה־ְלָך ַעל־ַהִּקיָקיֹון‬
Its also important to know why the use of different names of God
.such as YHVH, Ha Elohim, YHVH-Elohim
and why is important for the grammar such different uses of the
.names

We have to also see the similarities in clauses and words and

"" phrases within the chapter, one example of this is v5
‫ִמ ֶּקֶד ם ָלִעיר‬
and v8
‫ֱא ֹלִהים רּוַח ָקִד ים‬

Is clearly important the notion that Jonah went to the east of the
city to wait what will happen to Nineveh and that a wind came
from the east. The narrator is trying to point something to the
.reader

.Lastlywe can see the main clauses and subordinate clauses

the second clause in v2 starting with
‫ַוֹּיאַמ ר‬
besides continuing with the narrative or extending it, this clause
.also expresses a switch from Narrative Discourse to Direct Speech

This is to be expected in the Narrative in the Hebrew Bible because

often together with the vayyiqtol found in the narrative it usally
also contains some forms of quotations and then switches back to
.vayyiqtol verbs to continue the flow of the story

‫ֲהלֹוא־ֶזה ְד ָבִר י‬
This part of v2 introduces a rhetorical question with the
Interrogative and the negative, in which Jonah is trying to acuse
.God with this question

It is also important to notice the way the author uses the

,prepositions
for example this construction below establishes a link between two
.clauses
‫ַעלּ־ֵכן‬.

This particle is important as well

‫ִּכי‬
because it usually embeds one discourse type in another through
.the use of this subordinating particle

in v5 brings the story back to Narrative but it has raised a lot of

discusion on how to translate the this opening vayyiqtol , if we pay
attention to the flow of the story we will see that this vayyiqtol is
opening a new section of the narrative in the storyline, because it
‫ ַוֵּיֵצא‬.introduces new characters and a change of location