Jon 4:8 | NET2full | STEP | When the sun began to shine , God sent a hot east wind . So the sun beat down on Jonah’s head , and he grew faint . So he despaired of life and said , “I would rather die than live !”

Jonah 4:8

8 When the sun began to shine, God sent ^{▼▼tn Or “appointed.” See preceding note on v. 7.} a hot ^{▼▼tc The MT adjective חֲרִישִׁית (kharishit, “autumnal”) is a hapax legomenon with an unclear meaning (BDB 362 s.v. חֲרִישִׁי). Therefore, the BHS editors propose a conjectural emendation to the adjective, חֲרִיפִית (kharifit, “autumnal”), from the noun חֹרֶף (khoref, “autumn”; see BDB 358 s.v. חרֶף). However, this emendation would also create a hapax legomenon, and it would be no more clear than relating the MT’s חֲרִישִׁית to I חָרַשׁ (kharash, “to plough” [in autumn harvest]).} ^{▼▼tn Heb “autumnal” or “sultry.” The adjective חֲרִישִׁית is a hapax legomenon whose meaning is unclear. It might mean “autumnal” (from I חָרַשׁ, kharash; “to plough” [in the autumn harvest-time]). BDB 362 s.v. חֲרִישִׁי considers it mere conjecture that it means “silent” = “sultry” (from IV. חרשׁ, “to be silent.” The form חֲרִישִׁית might be a misspelling (שׁ for שׂ) of an alternate spelling (שׂ can replace ס) of חֲרִיסִית (kharisit) from the noun חֶרֶס (kheres, “sun”) and so mean “hot” (BDB 362 s.v.).} east wind. So the sun beat down ^{▼▼tn Heb “attacked” or “smote.”} on Jonah’s head, and he grew faint. So he despaired of life ^{▼▼tn Heb “he asked his soul to die.”} and said, “I would rather die than live!” ^{▼▼tn Heb “better my death than my life.”} ^{▼▼sn Jonah repeats his assessment, found also in 4:3.}