the statement that he had concern for it. In other words, Yahweh was only doing for Nineveh what Jonah had insisted he had the right to do for a plant. The verb חוס can mean both to be worried about, to be concerned about, and also to show active concern for, i.e., even “to spare” (usually with על) as in 1 Sam 24:11 and Ezek 24:14. Yahweh thus almost certainly declared by these words not only his right to feel concerned about but also his right to intervene for the benefit of Nineveh. Additionally,