לִבְרֹ֣חַ (liḇ·rō·aḥ) in Jonah 4:2: Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
לִבְרֹ֣חַ (liḇ·rō·aḥ) in Jonah 4:2
Source Word
At Jonah 4:2, the source token לִבְרֹ֣חַ is H1272, Prep-l | V-Qal-Inf. The BSB+ word table row therefore anchors this guide.
How The Form Affects Interpretation
To flee retains the purpose relation, while was quick comes from the surrounding statement of anticipated action. Jonah reveals that ignorance did not drive his flight; he resisted because he expected God's compassionate character to spare repentant enemies.
How To Communicate It
Connect the recalled infinitive to Jonah 1:3 and let his own explanation expose the moral reason for flight.
What Not To Say
- Grammatical form should serve context, not override it.
- Do not praise Jonah's theological accuracy while overlooking that he weaponizes it as a complaint against compassion.
- The infinitive is identical in form to Jonah 1:3, but this later speech supplies the motive hidden in the earlier scene.
- Read to flee within Jonah 4:2 as this H1272 occurrence; broader theology requires the passage.
What Does The Label Mean?
Hebrew-verb
Verb
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Qal
Inf
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Preposition l
None
The infinitive recalls intended action from Jonah's earlier decision rather than introducing a new escape attempt.
Lamed introduces the infinitive as the goal of Jonah's haste, while the surrounding first-person speech supplies his motive.
What The Form Does In This Verse
Jonah's earlier haste toward Tarshish as the action he now explains
His confession that he fled because he knew the Lord is gracious and relents from disaster
The lamed-prefixed infinitive names the flight Jonah says he hurried to undertake in anticipation of divine mercy.
His accurate confession about God's character does not make the flight faithful or excuse resisting mercy for Nineveh.
How Much The Form Matters Here
High: Jonah reveals that ignorance did not drive his flight; he resisted because he expected God's compassionate character to spare repentant enemies.
Lamed introduces the infinitive as the goal of Jonah's haste, while the surrounding first-person speech supplies his motive.. The lamed-prefixed infinitive names the flight Jonah says he hurried to undertake in anticipation of divine mercy.. Attached to Jonah's earlier haste toward Tarshish as the action he now explains. Governed by his confession that he fled because he knew the Lord is gracious and relents from disaster. His accurate confession about God's character does not make the flight faithful or excuse resisting mercy for Nineveh.
Why does Jonah say he was quick to flee? He admits that he anticipated the Lord's mercy toward Nineveh and tried to avoid serving that compassionate purpose.
Direct: To flee retains the purpose relation, while was quick comes from the surrounding statement of anticipated action.
The infinitive is identical in form to Jonah 1:3, but this later speech supplies the motive hidden in the earlier scene. Jonah truly knows God's revealed character, yet knowledge and faithful affection are not the same.
Correct confession equals faithful obedience: Jonah cites true attributes of God while protesting their exercise toward Nineveh. purpose infinitive excuses motive: The form states what Jonah intended; the Lord's questions evaluate that intention.
How The Interpretation Is Derived
At Jonah 4:2, the source token לִבְרֹ֣חַ is H1272, Prep-l | V-Qal-Inf. The BSB+ word table row therefore anchors this guide.
בָּרַח is the lemma behind to flee here. Within Jonah 4:2, H1272 retains this exact lexical identity.
Lamed introduces the infinitive as the goal of Jonah's haste, while the surrounding first-person speech supplies his motive.
Jonah reveals that ignorance did not drive his flight; he resisted because he expected God's compassionate character to spare repentant enemies.
Correct doctrine can be held with a heart that resents its implications, calling servants to love the mercy they confess.
Connect the recalled infinitive to Jonah 1:3 and let his own explanation expose the moral reason for flight.
Do not praise Jonah's theological accuracy while overlooking that he weaponizes it as a complaint against compassion.