👉 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.
Explanation: Okay, let's break down this verse! It’s a really interesting story about God’s mercy and Jonah’s situation. Here’s what it means in simple terms: Basically, God is comforting Jonah when he's feeling overwhelmed and upset. Here's a breakdown of the key parts: “And the LORD God prepared a gourd…” : This describes a small, ordinary vegetable – a gourd – that Jonah was struggling with. It’s not a big, impressive plant. “…and made [it] to come up over his head…” : This is the crucial part. God deliberately created this gourd so it would grow and rise over Jonah's face. It's like a shield or a shadow. “to deliver him from his grief.” : Jonah was incredibly upset – he’d been told to stay in the ocean and wasn’t allowed to leave. He was feeling really sad and distressed. This gourd is meant to help him feel better. “So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.” : This shows how much relief and happiness Jonah felt! It means he was so happy about this unexpected event that he was filled with joy – a huge, overwhelming feeling of gratitude. In short, the verse is about God’s kindness and a gentle way to help someone through a difficult time. It's a reminder that even when things seem bad, there can be unexpected blessings and good things happening. Does that make sense? Do you want me to explain anything in more detail or perhaps connect it to a specific idea from the Bible?
