Jonah 4:11 says “And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?” (ESV). This verse comes at the end of the book of Jonah, after Jonah has preached to the people of Nineveh and they have repented. However, Jonah is displeased that God spared the Ninevites rather than destroying them as Jonah had prophesied. In this verse, God is rebuking Jonah for his hard-heartedness and lack of compassion for the people of Nineveh.
The key phrase in this verse is “people who cannot tell their right hand from their left.” There are a few possible interpretations of what this means:
- It refers to small children who are too young to know the difference between their right and left hands.
- It refers to the mentally disabled or cognitively impaired.
- It is a metaphor meaning the people are ignorant, lack discernment, or are morally confused.
Looking at the context, the third option seems most plausible. Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, an empire known for its cruelty and violence. The Assyrians were enemies of Israel. So for Jonah, the Ninevites were evil people deserving of God’s judgment. But God sees things differently – He has compassion on Nineveh in spite of their spiritual blindness and moral corruption. He desires for them to repent rather than face destruction.
The phrase “cannot tell their right hand from their left” emphasizes the spiritual ignorance and lack of discernment among the Ninevites. They cannot distinguish good from evil, right from wrong. Their hearts and minds are darkened. Like small children, they desperately need instruction in God’s ways. This spiritual blindness is far worse than physical blindness or cognitive disability. Yet God in His mercy gives Nineveh the opportunity to repent.
Some key lessons we can take from this verse:
- God cares about all people, even those who oppose Him or live in ignorance of Him. His love extends to the most sinful.
- God is patient and eager for people to repent and come to know Him. He delights in showing mercy.
- We must not write people off as beyond God’s reach. No one is exempt from needing God’s grace.
- Spiritual blindness and discernment come when we do not have God’s truth. We all need His wisdom and revelation.
- Compassion should be our response to spiritual lostness, not judgment or smugness.
In a sense, “cannot tell their right hand from their left” sums up the human condition apart from God. We all were deceived and enslaved to sin before coming to Christ. But praise God for His mercy in sending Jonah to a people desperately in need of God’s truth and grace. May this verse move us to have the same compassion for the spiritually blind that God has.
1. It refers to small children who are too young to know the difference between their right and left hands
This interpretation takes the phrase literally – God is saying there are more than 120,000 young children (“who cannot tell their right hand from their left”) living in the city. Children are obviously morally innocent, so for them to be destroyed would be an even greater tragedy.
Some reasons this is a plausible view:
- The Hebrew word translated “people” (adam) can refer to humankind in general or be specific to adults. So it allows for this reference to children.
- The low median life expectancy in ancient times meant cities had a high proportion of young children.
- God’s concern for children is seen throughout Scripture (eg. Psalm 8:2, Matthew 18:1-6). Their lives have value to Him.
A challenge with this view is why God would single out young children here when there were obviously adults living in Nineveh also deserving of mercy. But perhaps the shocking scale of potential child deaths highlighted for Jonah the tragedy of what he wanted.
2. It refers to the mentally disabled or cognitively impaired
Another possibility is “cannot tell their right hand from their left” described people we would call intellectually disabled today. Their inability to discern between their hands illustrates how they lack understanding and cannot comprehend moral truths.
Reasons why this group may be in view:
- It follows logically – they literally cannot distinguish right and left like young children.
- God singles out this specific group to highlight His compassion for the vulnerable.
- They were not morally culpable for the city’s sins due to their diminished mental capacity.
A challenge with this view is why God would choose this unique way to describe the disabled rather than just calling them “fools” or similar. But ultimately Scripture affirms God’s care for this group (eg. Exodus 4:11, Matthew 15:30).
3. It is a metaphor meaning the people are ignorant, lack discernment, or are morally confused
The third view takes the phrase as a metaphor or analogy – God is not referring to a literal demographic within Nineveh, but using a vivid illustration to make a point about the Ninevites’ spiritual state.
Reasons why this metaphorical interpretation is preferable:
- It fits the overall context of Jonah’s story better than a literal demographic reference.
- Calling out specific groups seems less relevant to Jonah’s situation.
- It underscores God’s mercy by highlighting the people’s helplessness and need.
- The metaphor emphasizes their spiritual blindness and need for truth/wisdom.
Metaphors using body parts (eg. eyes, ears, hands) to illustrate spiritual realities are common in Scripture. So this interpretation has a strong basis. God powerfully conveys the point that just as a child cannot distinguish left from right, the Ninevites cannot distinguish moral right from wrong or understand God’s truth.
Several biblical passages use similar metaphors:
- “They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear” (Jeremiah 5:21).
- “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see” (Psalm 135:15-16).
- “To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled” (Titus 1:15).
So in summary, while the first two views offer plausible literal meanings, the third metaphorical view has the strongest scriptural support and best fits the context of Jonah 4:11.
God cared about all the Ninevites in their spiritual lostness. Like children unable to make moral choices or the disabled unable to comprehend truth, the people were trapped in darkness. But God wanted to mercifully bring His light and truth to them that they might discern good from evil and know Him.
Verses related to the spiritual blindness of those without God
Here are some additional verses that give insight into the spiritual blindness and confusion of those who do not know God and His truth.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. (Ephesians 4:19)
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. (Romans 1:18-19)
The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:14)
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
These and other verses affirm that humanity apart from God and His truth is trapped in darkness, deception and sin. We cannot discern good and evil or know God’s heart without His gracious revelation. How grateful we should be for God’s mercy just as the Ninevites received it!
God’s compassion on those who don’t know Him yet
As amazing as God’s mercy to Nineveh is, even more incredible is the cross of Christ. God sent His own Son to die in our place “while we were still sinners” and His enemies (Romans 5:8).
God’s heart is always to redeem and restore the lost. He “is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
We should have the same heart for the lost that God does. The church is called to go make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19), which includes people groups who have little access to the gospel. God loves wholehearted worship from Truth-centered Christians as well as seeking believers still learning to distinguish right from wrong.
When we share our faith, we must remember that spiritual blindness is far more serious than physical blindness. People don’t just need information – they need God to open their eyes to His truth through His Word and Spirit.
Our job is to faithfully communicate the gospel of grace. We can trust God to work in people’s hearts as only He can. When someone comes to true faith in Christ, there is much rejoicing in heaven (Luke 15:7)!
Key themes and lessons from Jonah 4:11
In summary, here are the key biblical themes and lessons that emerge from reflecting on Jonah 4:11:
- God cares for all people – No one is beyond the reach of His love and mercy.
- God is patient and eager to show mercy – He desires even wicked people to repent and know Him.
- We must have compassion for the lost – Their greatest need is Christ, not condemnation.
- Spiritual blindness requires God’s revelation – His Word and Spirit give wisdom and discernment.
- No one deserves God’s grace – Like Nineveh, we only receive it through His great kindness.
- God rejoices over sinners repenting – It displays the power of the gospel.
May this powerful verse inspire us to see people how God sees them. As we grow in grace, may we become ambassadors of God’s compassion to a spiritually lost world.