Contradiction with Exodus 34:6-7
Jonah 4:2 praises God's slowness to anger and abundant mercy, while Exodus 34:6-7 also acknowledges God's forgiving nature, it emphasizes that He will not clear the guilty, highlighting justice as a balancing aspect.
Exodus 34:6-7: And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
Contradiction with Nahum 1:2-3
This verse describes God as a jealous and avenging God, and while it mentions His slowness to anger, the emphasis is on vengeance and wrath, which contrasts with Jonah's celebration of God's mercy.
Nahum 1:2-3: God [is] jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and [is] furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth [wrath] for his enemies. [God...: or, The LORD is a jealous God, and a revenger, etc] [is furious: Heb. that hath fury]
Contradiction with Malachi 1:4
Jonah 4:2 expresses God's readiness to relent from sending calamity, whereas Malachi 1:4 depicts God's enduring wrath against Edom, indicating a different, less merciful aspect of God's character.
Malachi 1:4: Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.
Paradox #1
Jonah 4:2 expresses Jonah's frustration with God for being merciful to the people of Nineveh, even though they repented. The potential contradiction here is with the depiction of God as both just and merciful. Some might see a conflict in how God can be just, in punishing wrongdoing, yet also merciful, in forgiving those who repent. This can lead to debates on how divine justice and mercy coexist.
Paradox #2
Jonah 4:2 could be seen as morally contradictory because Jonah is upset with God for being compassionate and forgiving. Jonah wanted God to punish the people of Nineveh for their wrongdoings, but God chose to forgive them because they repented. This highlights a conflict between human desire for justice or vengeance and divine mercy and forgiveness. Jonah’s anger reveals his struggle to accept that God’s ways may prioritize compassion over punishment.